'■{■.■'■■'■.■■■-'■.■■■/■:.'-'.-;-'- 


jSSM 


UCSB    LIBRARY 


/7 


/ 


THE 


METHODIST  ARMOR; 


OR, 


A  POPULAR  EXPOSITION 


Doctrines,  Peculiar   Usages,  and  Ecclesiastical 

Machinery  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 

Church,  South. 


By  HILARY  T.  HUDSON.,  DD., 

North  Carolina  Conference. 


Revised  and  Enlarged . 


Nashville,  Tenn.: 

Publishing  House  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 

J.  D.  Barbee,  Agent. 

PRINTED   FOR  THE  AUTHOR. 
ISF8 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1882, 

BY  HILARY  T.  HUDSON, 
in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington 


TO  THE 

METHODISTS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA, 

THIS  VOLUME  IS 

Most  Respectfully  and  Affectionately   Inscribed 

BY 

H.  T.  Hudson. 


PREFACE. 

The  design  of  this  little  book  is  to  give  a  condensed  view  of  the 
prominent  doctrines,  peculiar  usages,  and  polity  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South.  The  Articles  of  Faith  and  the  General 
Rules  are  given  also,  with  Scripture  quotations  and  explanatory 
notes.  The  book,  putting  into  a  small  compass  what  lies  scattered 
in  many  volumes  of  Methodist  authors,  is  especially  intended  to 
meet  the  wants  of  the  popular  masses  adhering  to  Methodism. 

The  Author. 

Shelby,  N.  C,  April.  1882. 


CONTENTS. 


CIUFTER 


Introduction * »  8 

I.  Origin  of  Methodism  in  England— The  First  Meth- 
odist Society— Rev.  John  Wesley,  the  Founder. . .         9-12 
II.  Origin  of  Methodism  in  America— The  First  Meth- 
odist Society — The  First  Annual  Conference — The  9 
Organization  of  the  Church — Historical  Statement 

— Validity  of  Methodist  Ordination 12-21 

III.  Articles  of  Religion  (with  Scripture  Quotations  and 

Notes) ' 21-54 

[V.  The  General  Rules  (with  Scripture  Quotations  and 

Notes) 54-90 

V.  Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism — Universal  Re- 

demption —  Repentance  —  Justification  Through 
Faith — Regeneration — Witness  of  the  Spirit — 
Holiness,  or  Sanctification — The  Possibility  of  Fi- 
nal Apostasy 90-116 

VI.  Orders  in  the  Methodist  Ministry — Deacons — Elders 

—Bishops 116-118 

VII.  The  Mode  of  Baptism— Baptism  of  Paul— Baptism 
of  the  Jailer — Baptism  of  Cornelius — Baptism  of 

the  Three  Thousand 118-126 

VIII.  Objections  Answered — Buried  with  Him  in  Baptism 
— The  Baptism  of  Christ — John  Baptizing  in  Jor- 
dan—Bapto  and  Baptidzo 126-134 

IX  Infant  Baptism — As  Taught  in  the  Old  Testament — 
Christ's  Recognition  of  Infant  Membership — The 
Apostles  Preached  the  Doctrine  of  Infant  Church- 
membership  —  Family    Baptisms  —  The    Jailer's 

Family — Historical  Statement — Objections 13/3-142 

X.  Government  of  the  Church — General,  Annual,  Dis- 
trict, Quarterly,  and  Church  Conferences 1 43  14» 

XI.  Church  Officers — In  the  Ministry :  Bishops,  Presiding 
Elders,  Pastors,  Local  Preachers — Lay  Officers  of 
the  Church:    Exhorters,   Class-leaders,   Stewards. 

Trustees,  Superintendents  <»f  Sunday-schools 148-156 

Co) 


CIIAFTBB 

XII. 
XIII. 


XIV. 

XV. 
XVI. 


XVII. 


XVIII. 
XIX. 


XX. 
XXI. 
XXII. 


XXIII 
XXIV. 


Contents. 

FAOH 

I 'icu liar  Usages  of  Methodism — Class-meetings — 

The  Itinerancy — Love-feast 156-162 

Ministerial  Support — The  Divine  Law  on  the  Sup- 
port of  the  Ministry — The  Immense  Benefits 
Arising  from  the  Diffusion  of  the  Gospel — The 
Cheapness  of  Preaching — The  Ability  of  the 
People  to  Pay — The  Amount  to  be  Given,  etc. .   162-199 

Church-membership — Who  are  Admitted  into  the 
Methodist  Church? — Penitent  Seekers — The  In- 
troduction of  Baptized  Children  into  the  Church 
—The  Duty  of  Joining  the  Church 199-223 

Methodism  and  Sunday-schools — Origin — Eminent 

Usefulness  of  these  Schools— Statistics 223-227 

Methodism  and  Revivals — What  is  a  Revival? — 
Benefits  of  Revivals — The  Agencies  to  be  Used 
in  Securing  a  Revival — The  Cooperation  of  the 
People  with  the  Preachers — The  Transcendent 
Importance  of  Revivals — Hinderances  to  a  Re- 
vival   227-246 

Methodism  and  Missions — The  Genius  of  Meth- 
odism is  Missionary — Facts  that  should  Stir  our 
Missionary  Zeal — Statistics 246-252 

Methodism  and  Education — Statistics 252-255 

Acts  of  the  General  Conference  to  1844: — Organiza- 
tion of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South 
— Bishops — Deceased  Bishops — Statistics,  1882.  255-275 

General  Summary  of  Methodists 276-281 

The  Apostolic  Features  of  the  Methodist  Church. .  281-294 

The  Training  of  Children  in  Christian  Homes — 
The  Religion  of  Methodists  Ought  to  be  Trans- 
mitted to  and  Reproduced  in  their  Children — 
The  Family  Life  and  Habits  of  Methodists 294-311 

A  Model  Christian  and  a  Loyal  Methodist 311-319 

Loyalty  to  Your  Own  Church — The  Glory  of  Meth- 
odism   319-329 

Appendix:  World-wide  View  of  Methodism 330-342 


INTRODUCTION. 

BY  REV.   L.   L.  HENDREN,  D.D. 


Methodism  had  its  birth  in  an  age  of  sharp  and  searching  contro- 
versy, and,  in  reaching  its  present  distinguished  position  among  the 
Protestant  denominations,  every  inch  of  ground  was  fiercely  con- 
tested. Its  prominent  doctrines,  peculiar  usages,  and  polity,  were 
frequently  and  publicly  discussed ;  therefore,  the  multitudes  had  better 
and  more  clearly  defined  views  of  the  distinctive  features  of  Method- 
ism than  in  this  age  of  tacit  fraternity,  the  tendency  of  which  is  to 
conventionalism.  These  subjects  being  now  less  frequently  discussed 
in  a  controversial  way,  there  exists  a  lamentable  ignorance  on  these 
points.  Many  otherwise  intelligent  persons  have  not  the  inclination, 
or,  having  that,  have  not  the  patience,  to  persevere  in  such  a  research 
as  would  be  necessary  to  gain  the  proper  information.  The  necessity 
for  a  book  containing  this  in  a  comprehensive  and  condensed  form 
has  been  long  and  painfully  felt,  resulting  often  in  a  loss  of  members 
m  our  Church.  Other  denominations  have  their  distinctive  dogmas 
clearly  expressed  and  formulated,  while  ours  are  found  only  in  our 
scholastic  and  theological  works.  The  author  of  the  book  which  we 
now  introduce  to  the  reader,  feeling  this  absolute  necessity,  has  most 
opportunely  and  successfully  met  this  great  need  of  the  Church  and 
the  people.  He  gives  us  a  concise  history  of  the  rise  and  progress  of 
Methodism  in  England  and  America,  and  also  of  its  chief  instruments. 
This  puts  the  reader  in  possession  of  the  proper  historical  information 
at  the  very  outset,  enabling  him  to  appreciate  more  fully  the  subjects 
discussed.  The  "validity  of  Methodist  ordination"  is  stated  in  the 
simplest,  clearest,  and  most  conclusive  manner,  adducing  facts  and 
testimonials  which  refute  unanswerably  the  assumptions  of  High 
churchism.  The  Articles  of  Religion,  General  Rules,  and  promi- 
nent doctrines  are  presented  in  a  most  convenient  and  scriptural  way 
for  the  general  reader.  The  brief,  striking  manner  of  bringing  out 
the  fact  that  there  are  but  two  orders  of  the  ministry  by  divine  right 
will  be  highly  interesting  and  instructive.  The  arguments  on  the 
mode  and  fit  subjects  of  baptism  are  so  scriptural,  simple,  and  con- 
clusive as  to  satisfy  and  convince  all  who  are  not  blinded  by  prejil- 

(7) 


8  hi!  rod  net  ion. 

dice.  On  the  subject  of  Church  government,  and  peculiar  usages  of 
Methodism,  the  author  is  unusually  happy,  clear,  and  forcible  in  his 
explanation  of  the  powers  and  functions  of  the  several  Conferences, 
and  the  peculiar  advantages  of  the  itinerant  ministry.  On  the  suj>- 
port  of  the  ministry  he  takes  the  ground  that  the  tenth  of  the  in- 
come is  still  required.  lie  gives  cogent  arguments  and  reasons  i.n 
regard  to  the  obligation  of  sustaining  the  gospel,  supported  by  many 
strong  and  striking  facts  and  illustrations.  He  shows  the  g>eat 
blessings  and  benefits  accruing  to  those  who  devise  liberal  things 
for  the  temporal  comfort  of  those  who  minister  in  holy  things,  which, 
at  the  same  time,  contribute  largely  to  the  efficiency  and  usefulness  o( 
the  ministry.  He  especially  shows  the  great  intellectual  and  spirit- 
ual benefits  of  a  well-supported  and  efficient  clergy.  The  chapter  on 
Church-membership  is  a  clear,  sound,  and  scriptural  statement  of  this 
important  subject.  If  carefully  studied,  it  will  certainly  remove  a 
great  deal  of  error  prevalent  with  the  masses  on  this  question.  The 
people  will  read  with  pleasure  and  profit  the  Methodistic  origin  of 
Sunday-schools  and  revivals,  as  integral  parts  of  our  Church,  their 
missionary  spirit,  and  their  power  for  good.  Missions  and  education,  as 
essential  elements  of  Methodism,  have  been  succinctly  and  satisfac- 
torily discussed.  The  treatment  of  the  apostolic  features  of  Meth 
odism — the  thorough  training  of  children,  and  attaching  them  more 
firmly  to  our  Church — is  comprehensive  and  conclusive.  The  reader 
will  find  in  this  book  multum  in parvo — "the  sincere  milk,"  "the  liv- 
ing bread,"  and  "strong  meal"  of  Methedist  doctrine  and  polity. 

"We  honestly  advise  every  Methodist  to  buy,  carefully  read,  and 
study  the  "Methodist  Armor,"  for  its  intrinsic  merit,  its  necessity, 
its  compactness  and  cheapness.  Dr.  Hudson  was  peculiarly  fortunate 
in  the  suggestive  name  of  his  admirable  little  book.  Incased  in  this 
armor,  with  a  thorough  knowledge  and  skillful  use  of  the  weapons 
furnished,  the  young  as  well  as  the  old  Methodist  soldier  can  meet 
and  defeat  on  every  field  any  human  or  Satanic  foe. 

L.  L.  Hendren. 

SrAiEsviiLE,  N.  C,  January,  1883. 


THE  METHODIST  ARMOR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ORIGIN  OF  METHODISM  IN  ENGLAND. 

The  History  of  Methodism  began  in  the  year  1720. 
It  was  Born  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  England. 
While  at  college,  John  Wesley,  Charles  Wesley,  and 
George  Whitefield,  and  a  few  others,  banded  them- 
selves together  for  the  purpose  of  intellectual  and 
spiritual  improvement.  So  systematic  were  these 
young  men  in  their  habits  of  religious  duty  that  the 
gayer  students  in  derision  called  them 

Methodists. 
So  the  disciples  of  Christ  were  first  called  "  Chris- 
tians" at  Antioch  by  a  deriding  world;  yet  the  name 
was  so  appropriate  that  they  gloried  in  it.  And  since 
Methodism  has  wrought  out  such  a  glorious  history, 
none  of  her  followers  are  ashamed  of  her  name. 

1739.  The  First  Methodist  Society 
was  organized  in  London  by  Mr.  Wesley.  It  began 
with  about  ten  persons,  and  soon  swelled  up  to  hun- 
dreds. A  great  revival  soon  began  to  spread  over  the 
British  realm.  It  was  a  work  of  great  depth  and  du- 
ration. 

"  It  came  sweeping  along  like  the  winds  which  God 
had  let  loose  from  his  fists,  swaying  devout  souls, 
breaking  down  stubborn  sinners,  overturning  hopes 
built  on   false   foundations,  but  quenching  not  the 

(9) 


10  The  Methodist  Armor. 

smoking  flax,  nor  breaking  the  bruised  reed.  It  was 
Heaven's  bountiful  gift  to  the  silent  prayer  of  the 
world's  sorrow  by  reason  of  its  great  sin.  In  tho 
midst  of  this  spiritual  darkness,  God  raised  up  a 
bishop,  a  preacher,  a  poet:  three  men  the  equals  of 
whom  have  probably  never  been  seen  in  the  world  at 
once  since  the  apostolic  days.  The  bishop  was  John 
Wesley,  the  preacher  was  George  Whitefield,  the  poet 
was  Charles  Wesley.  To  these  three  men,  and  those 
whom  they  gathered  to  their  standard,  did  the  Lord 
commit  the  precious  work  of  awaking  the  British  king- 
dom to  a  sense  of  God  and  duty,  and  by  them  he  wrought 
a  reformation  which  stands  alone  as  a  spiritual  re- 
vival without  admixture  of  State-craft  or  patronage 
of  parliament  or  king." 

Methodism  began  with  experimental  religion  in  the 
heart,  and  by  spontaneous  energies  from  within  pro- 
jected itself  out  into  organic  forms  of  life,  such  as 
class-meetings,  love-feasts,  Conferences,  the  itineran- 
cy, and  Church  polity.  This  is  the  philosophy  of  the 
Methodist  economy.  It  is  the  power  of  divine  life 
clothing  itself  with  such  organic  functions  as  are  nec- 
essary to  perpetuate  and  spread  itself  through  the 
world.  In  ten  years  the  outlines  of  the  coming 
Church  were  already  prepared.  Societies  were  formed, 
quarterly-meetings  held,  Annual  Conferences  assem- 
bled, and  preachers  exchanged,  and  Methodism  began 
her  glorious  career. 

Eev.  John  Wesley,  the  Founder. 

The  illustrious  Founder  of  Methodism  was  born 

June  14, 1703,  in  the  parish  of  Epworth,  Lincolnshire. 

He  was  descended  from  a  long  line  of  able  ministers. 

"  When  God  Rftts  out  to  make  a  great  man,  he  first 


Origin  of  Methodism  in  England.      .  11 

makes  a  great  woman."  This  is  eminently  true  in 
tho  ease  of  John  Wesley.  His  mother,  Susannah 
Wesley,  was  a  woman  of  strong  intellect,  fine  culture, 
deap  piety,  and  rare  domestic  qualities.  John  Wes- 
ley came  of  good  stock.  His  father  was  a  preacher 
before  him.  He  entered  college  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen,  and  came  out  a  distinguished  graduate  of  ono 
of  the  most  famous  universities  of  the  world.  His 
intellectual  training  was  of  the  highest  order.  A  hap- 
py and  thorough  conversion  marked  his  religious  expe- 
rience. He  says:  "I  felt  my  heart  strangely  warmed. 
I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ  alone  for  salvation;  an  as- 
surance was  given  me  that  he  had  taken  away  my 
sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death."  Before  he  knew  what  religion  was  theo- 
logically, now  he  knows  what  it  is  experimentally. 
From  this  time  on  he  is  a  new  man  full  of  power  and 
the  Holy  Ghost.  His  intellectual  faculties  kindled 
up  into  a  luminous  condition,  and  his  spiritual  vision 
was  clear  and  comprehensive.  The  enthusiasm  grow- 
ing out  of  his  experience  went  with  him,  and  caught 
material  everywhere  for  new  flame  and  fervor.  The 
torch  of  Mr.  Wesley's  experience  set  the  world  on  fire, 
which  has  glowed  and  spread  from  that  day  till  now. 
The  celestial  fire  which  warmed  his  heart  is  the  light 
of  the  world. 

John  Wesley  died  in  1791,  exclaiming,  "The  best  of 
all  is — God  is  with  ns! " 

As  beautiful  as  the  summer  sunset  in  a  cloudless 
sky  was  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley.  The  sun  of  his 
long  life,  beautiful  in  the  morning  of  youth,  radiant 
at  the  noon  of  manhood,  after  shining  almost  a  cent- 
ury to  enlighten  and  make  fruitful  the  earth,  went 


12  The  Methodist  Armor. 

down  in  full-orbed  glory,  gilding  the  world  left  be- 
hind with  the  reflected  splendor  of  its  departing  rays. 
"  I  consider  him  as  the  most  influential  mind  of  the 
last  century,  the  man  who  will  have  produced  the 
greatest  results  centuries  hence,"  said  Southey.  "  No 
man  has  risen  in  the  Methodist  Society  equal  to  their 
founder,  John  Wesley,"  said  Dean  Stanley.  "A  great- 
er poet  may  arise  than  Homer  or  Milton,  a  greater  the- 
ologian than  Calvin,  a  greater  philosopher  than  Bacon, 
a  greater  dramatist  than  any  of  ancient  or  modern 
fame,  a  greater  revivalist  of  the  Churches  than  John  Wes- 
ley—never!" said  Dr.  Dobbins  of  the  Church  of  En- 
gland. "As  Mount  Everest  lifts  its  tall  head  not  only 
above  every  other  peak  of  the  Himalayas,  but  above 
the  tallest  peak  of  every  other  mountain  in  the  wide 
world,  so  John  Wesley,  as  a  revivalist  and  reformer, 
towers  not  only  above  the  other  great  men  of  Method- 
ism, but  above  the  greatest  in  all  other  Churches  of 
Christendom,"  said  Dr.  J.  O.  A.  Clark.  Though  not  a 
century  and  a  half  have  elapsed  since  he  founded  the 
Methodist  Church,  yet  no  less  than  fifteen  millions  of 
persons,  including  communicants  and  adherents  to  his 
systems,  are  his  followers. 


CHAPTER  II. 

OKIGIN  OF  METHODISM  IN  AMERICA. 
Tiie  Methodism  which  swept  through  England  as  a 
spreading  fire  over  a  field  of  dry  stubble  soon  crossed 
the  Atlantic  and  began  to  glow  and  burn  in  America. 

1766.  The  First  Methodist  Society. 
It  was  organized  by  Philip  Embury,  a  local  preach- 
er, in  the  city  of  New  York.     Barbara  Heck,  a  Chris. 


Origin  of  Methodism  in  America.  13 

tiau  woman,  has  the  honor  of  being  the  prime  mover 
in  the  work.  Embury  and  Barbara  Heck  were  emi- 
grants from  Ireland — originally  of  German  stock. 
Robert  Strawbridge,  from  Ireland  also,  organized  a 
Methodist  society  in  Maryland  about  the  same  time. 
These  two  local  preachers  were  greatly  assisted  in 
their  work  by  a  British  officer  named  Captain  Webb. 
The  first  Methodist  church  was  built  in  John  street, 
New  York,  1768.  The  society  consisted  of  but  five 
members.  As  green  forests  sleep  in  the  tiny  cup  of 
acorns,  so  grand  possibilities  slumbered  in  this  mus- 
tard-seed of  vital  religion. 

1769.  Richard  Boardman  and  Joseph  Pilmore,  the 
first  itinerant  preachers  sent  out  by  Mr.  Wesley,  ar- 
rived in  America;  the  former  was  stationed  at  John 
Street  Church,  New  York,  and  the  latter  as  pastor  in 
Philadelphia. 

1771.  Francis  Asbury  and  Richard  Wright  came. 
The  latter  soon  returned  to  England,  but  Mr.  Asbu'  y 
remained,  and  became  the  most  memorable  and  influ- 
ential man  in  American  Methodism. 

1773.  The  First  Annual  Conference 
was  held  in  Philadelphia.  The  roll  of  names:  Thos. 
Rankin,  R.  Boardman,  J.  Pilmore,  Francis  Asbury, 
R.  Wright,  George  Shadford,  Thomas  Webb,  John 
King,  A.  Whitworth,  Joseph  Yearby.  Thomas  Ran- 
kin presided.  The  business  was  simple  and  brief. 
It  consisted  mainly  in  the  agreement  of  the  preachers 
to  abide  by  the  doctrines  and  discipline  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley. There  were  then  but  ten  traveling  preachers, 
sis  circuits,  and  eleven  hundred  and  sixty  members. 

1774.  Robert  Williams  began  to  form  societies  in 
Virginia. 


14  The  Methodist  Armor. 

177G.  The  first  circuit  was  organized  in  North  Car- 
olina, andffeilled  the  "Carolina"  Circuit. 

Robert  Williams  came  from  England;  landed  in 
America,  1769.  To  him  belongs  the  honor  of  intro- 
ducing Methodism  into  Virginia  and  North  Carolina. 
He  was  a  rousing  preacher,  and  instrumental  in  the 
salvation  of  many  souls. 

1777-78.  The  whole  country  was  seething  and  boil- 
ing over  with  the  war-spirit  of  the  Revolution,  yet 
great  revivals  prevailed  in  the  south-eastern  part  of 
Virginia  and  in  the  counties  of  Halifax  and  Warren 
in  North  Carolina.  Eighteen  hundred  souls  were 
added  to  the  societies  in  one  year. 

1784.  The  Okganization  of  the  Chuech. 
The  "  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  "  was  formally 
organized  at  a  conference  of  Methodist  ministers 
called  by  Thomas  Coke,  LL.D.,  an  assistant  of  Mr. 
Wesley  in  England,  and  sent  over  by  the  latter  for 
the  purpose  of  consummating  such  organization.  The 
first  bishops,  Coke  and  Asbury,  were  elected  by  the 
Conference  (called  the  Christmas  Conference)  which 
met  in  Baltimore,  Dec.  25,  1784,  and  continued  its 
session  until  Jan.  2, 1785. 

Historical  Statement 
The  organization  constituted  it  a  valid  Christian  Church. 
The  associations  formed  by  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  preach- 
ers were  originally  called  societies.  They  were  vol- 
untary associations  of  persons  for  mutual  improve- 
ment in  experimental  and  vital  piety.  They  were 
etill  members  of  the  Church  of  England;  they  attended 
its  regular  services  and  received  the  sacraments  at  its 
altars.     Mr.  Wesley  himself  continued  during  life  a 


Origin  of  Methodism  in  America.  15 

regular  presbyter  in  that  Church.  The  same  state  of 
things  arose  in  America,  and  continued  during  the 
existence  of  the  colonial  government.  Soon  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolution  most  of  the  clergymen  of  the 
English  Church,  many  of  whom  were  Tories,  returned 
Uj  England.  This  left  the  Methodist  people  without 
sacraments.  The  preachers  did  not  think  themselves 
authorized  to  administer  them,  and  appealed  to  Mr. 
Wesley  for  relief.  He  regarded  the  societies  as  sheep 
in  a  wilderness  without  a  shepherd,  and  felt  himself 
providentially  called  upon  to  provide  for  them  proper 
pastoral  care.  Accordingly  he  ordained  Dr.  Coke,  a 
presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England,  giving  him  au- 
thority to  exercise  the  office  of  a  bishop,  calling  him 
a  superintendent,  which  is  only  another  name  for  the 
same  thing.  Mr.  Wesley  sent  Dr.  Coke  to  America, 
directing  him  to  ordain  Francis  Asbury  to  the  same 
episcopal  office.  These  two  were  to  have  a  general 
superintendency  of  all  the  Methodist  societies  in  Amer- 
ica; they  were  to  travel  at  large  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  land,  and  were  to  ordain  elders,  whose 
services  were  required  by  the  exigences  of  the  people. 
Mr.  Wesley  prepared  a  form  of  Discipline  for  the 
use  of  the  Methodists,  which  contained  the  Articles 
of  Religion,  the  General  Rules,  a  Ritual  for  ordina- 
tion and  other  services  of  the  Church.  As  already 
stated,  the  preachers  assembled  in  General  Confer- 
ence, received  Dr.  Coke  in  his  office  as  bishop,  and 
elected  Francis  Asbury  to  the  same  office,  in  accord- 
ance with  Mr.  Wesley's  direction.  The  Conference 
adopted  the  Discipline  as  their  ecclesiastical  consti- 
tution, and  thus  became  a  regularly  and  a  fully  organ- 
ized Christian  Church. 


16  The  Methodist  Armor. 

The  Methodists  of  America  were  no  longer  mere 
societies  within  the  pale  of  the  English  Church,  but 
were  themselves  a  properly  constituted  gospel  Church 
of  God.  They  are  now  "  a  congregation  of  faithful 
men  in  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is  preached  and 
the  sacraments  are  duly  administered  according  to 
Christ's  ordinance,  in  all  those  things  that  of  neces- 
sity are  requisite  to  the  same." 

It  is  a  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  not  a  Congre- 
gational nor  a  Presbyterian  Church.  It  is  a  Church 
governed  and  superintended  by  bishops,  who  are 
elected  and  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  episcopacy. 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  intend 
to  authorize  the  establishment  of  a  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  the  proof  alleged  is  that  he  called 
Dr.  Coke  and  Asbury  superintendents,  and  rebuked 
them  for  allowing  themselves  to  be  called  bishops. 
The  facts  are,  Mr.  Wesley,  in  the  beginning  of  his 
ministry,  was  a  High-churchman,  but  the  reading  of 
Stillingfleet's  "  Irenicum  "  cured  him  of  that  belief. 
He  entirely  changed  his  views  on  this  subject.  He 
said:  "I  still  believe  the  episcopal  form  of  Church- 
government  to  agree  with  the  practice  and  writings  of 
the  apostles,  but  that  it  is  prescribed  in  Scripture  I 
do  not  believe."  He  intended  to  give,  and  did  give,  the 
episcopal  form  of  Church-government  to  the  Meth- 
odist Church  in  America. 

Mr.  Wesley  shunned  the  term  bishop,  and  rebuked 
Mr.  Asbury  for  wearing  it,  because  of  the  worldly 
pride,  pomp,  and  ostentation  with  which  that  word 
was  connected  in  the  English  Church.  But  the  thing 
intended  by  the  term  when  properly  applied  he  ap- 
proved by  giving  the  same  when  he  ordained  Coke 


Origin  of  Methodism  in  America.  17 

and  sent  liim  to  ordain  Asbury  and  organize  the  Meth- 
odist Church  under  the  government  of  the  episcopacy 

Validity  of  Methjdist  Ordination. 

1.  The  presbyters,  or  elders,  of  the  New  Testament 
exercised  the  power  of  ordination.  Timothy  was  or- 
dained by  "  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presbytery" 
or  body  of  elders.  (1  Tim .  iv.  14.)  To  deny  that  elders 
have  the  right  to  ordain  is  to  run  directly  against  the 
expressed  declaration  of  the  Bible.  Of  his  power  to 
ordain  Mr.  Wesley  had  no  doubt.  He  says:  "Lord 
King's  account  of  the  primitive  Church  convinced  me, 
many  years  ago,  that  bishops  and  presbyters  are  the 
same  order,  and  consequently  have  the  same  right  to 
ordain.  ...  I  have  accordingly  appointed  Dr.  Coke 
and  Francis  Asbury  to  be  joint  superintendents;  as 
also  Richard  Whatcoat  and  Thomas  Vasey  to  act  as 
elders  among  them  in  North  America,  by  baptizing 
and  administering  the  Lord's  Supper."  In  1780,  he 
said:  "I  verily  believe  I  have  as  good  a  right  to  or- 
dain as  to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper."  Luther, 
Calvin,  Melanchthon,  as  well  as  Mr.  Wesley,  believed 
in  the  validity  of  presbyterial  ordination. 

2.  There  are  two  ordinations,  a  divine  and  a  human. 
The  divine  is  the  call  of  God  to  preach  the  gospel. 
The  Saviour  called  and  sent  the  apostles  out  to  preach. 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel." 
Their  oidination  was  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Human  ordination  recognizes  the  essential  one  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  When  you  can  get  the  two,  well  and 
good;  but  if  not,  give  us  the  divine,  let  who  will  have 
the  human.  The  Churches,  properly  enough  for  the 
sake  of  order,  license  and  ordain  men  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  but  n  i  ecclesiastical  authority  can  make 

2 


18  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ministers.  They  only  recognize  the  call  of  God.  The 
chief  and  essential  ordination  then  is  of  God;  and 
wherever  this  exists  it  matters  but  little  what  the  hu- 
man ordination  is.  Mr.  Wesley,  called  of  God,  and 
eminently  qualified  by  intellectual  and  spiritual  en- 
dowment, had,  by  reason  of  these  endowments,  and  as 
being  a  founder  of  a  great  Church,  as  much  right  to 
ordain  a  ministry  as  any  pope,  patriarch,  bishop,  or 
archbishop,  that  ever  performed  that  function.  The 
true  validity  of  the  Methodist  ministry  is  derived 
from  Mr.  Wesley,  who  was  not  only  a  presbyter  in  the 
English  Church,  but  under  God  became  an  illustrious 
founder  of  a  great  evangelical  Church  of  Christ. 
Richard  Watson  says:  "  The  Reformed  Churches  held 
the  call  of  the  people  the  only  essential  thing  to  the 
validity  of  the  ministry;  and  teach  that  ordination  is 
only  a  ceremony  which  renders  the  call  the  more 
august  and  authentic.  Accordingly,  the  Protestant 
Churches  of  Scotland,  France,  Holland,  Switzerland, 
Germany,  Poland,  Hungary,  Denmark,  etc.,  have  no 
episcopal  ordination;  for  Luther,  Calvin,  Bucer,  Me- 
lanchthon,  and  all  the  first  reformers  and  founders  of 
these  Churches,  who  ordained  ministers  among  them, 
were  themselves  presbyters,  and  no  other."  Thus  it  ap- 
pears that  all  these  Churches  had  no  other  ministry 
than  such  as  was  ordained  by  the  presbytery.  Mr.  Wat- 
son goes  on  to  say:  "In  opposition  to  episcopal  ordi- 
nation, they  (Protestants)  urge  that  Timothy  was  or 
dained  '  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presby- 
tery;' that  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  ordained  by 
certain  prophets  and  teachers  in  the  Church  of  Anti- 
och,  and  not  by  bishojs  presiding  in  that  city.  (Acts 
xiii.  1-3.)     Furthermore,  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that 


Origin  of  Methodism  in  America.  19 

presbyters  in  the  Church  of  Alexandria  ordained  even 
their  own  bishops  for  more  than  two  hundred  years 
in  the  earliest  ages  of  Christianity.  They  further  ar- 
gue that  bishops  and  presbyters  are  in  Scripture  the 
same,"  and  therefore  episcopal  ordination  means  noth- 
ing more  than  presbyterial  ordination.  They  are  but 
two  names  for  one  and  the  same  thing. 

3.  The  theory  of  High-churchism  affirms  that  the 
right  of  ordination  is  derived  from  an  episcopal  ordi- 
nation transmitted  in  an  unbroken  succession  from 
the  apostles,  and  that  without  this  so-called  apostolic 
succession  there  can  be  no  Church  or  lawful  ministry. 
Consequently  the  Episcopalians  claim  to  be  the  only 
true  Church. 

The  alleged  succession  is  not  historically  true.  I  mean 
that  there  has  been  no  such  unbroken  succession  of 
ordinations  in  the  past.  Such  a  succession  cannot  be 
proved;  and  it  is  morally  certain  that  such  an  unbro- 
ken chain  never  existed.  The  world  recently  saw  that 
the  champions  of  popery  could  not  even  prove  that 
St.  Peter  was  ever  at  Rome,  to  say  nothing  of  his  or- 
dinations. The  facts  already  mentioned,  that  in  the 
primitive  Church  several  pastors  took  part  in  each  or- 
dination, and  that  the  modern  popish  view  of  ordina- 
tion was  unknown,  would  naturally  render  it  impossible 
to  trace  each  ordination  to  any  one  bishop  or  presbyter. 
The  Church-curate  who  comes  with  a  printed  list  of 
his  ecclesiastical  pedigree  up  to  the  apostles  must 
have  wonderful  confidence  in  the  ignorance  of  those 
whom  he  expects  to  accept  his  list  with  unquestioning 
faith.  Many  eminent  ministers  and  laymen  of  tho 
English  Church,  who  have  made  this  subject  a  special 
study,  have  confessed  that  the  historical  succession  is 


20  The  Methodist  Armor. 

utterly  untenable.  Chillingworth  said:  "I  am  fully 
persuaded  that  there  hath  been  no  such  succession." 
Lord  Macaulay  says :  "  Even  if  it  were  possible,  which 
assuredly  it  is  not,  to  prove  that  the  Church  had  the 
apostolical  orders  in  the  third  century,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  prove  that  those  orders  were  not  in  the 
twelfth  century  so  far  lost  that  no  ecclesiastic  could 
be  certain  of  the  legitimate  descent  of  his  own  spir- 
itual character.  .  .  .  We  see  no  satisfactory  proof  that 
the  Church  of  England  possesses  apostolical  succes- 
sion." 

Bishop  Hoadly  says:  "It  hath  not  pleased  God  in 
his  providence  to  keep  up  any  proof  of  the  least  prob- 
ability, or  moral  possibility,  of  a  regular  uninterrupted 
succession;  but  there  is  a  great  appearance,  and,  hu- 
manly speaking,  a  certainty,  to  the  contrary,  that  the 
succession  hath  often  been  interrupted."  Dr.  Com- 
ber, as  quoted  by  Mr.  Bleby,  says:  "There  is  neither 
truth  nor  certainty  in  the  pretended  succession  of  the 
first  popes."  Bishop  Stillingneet  says:  "  Come  we, 
therefore,  to  Borne,  and  here  the  succession  is  as 
muddy  as  the  Tiber  itself.  .  .  .  The  succession  so 
much  pleaded  by  the  writers  of  the  primitive  Church 
was  not  a  succession  of  persons  in  apostolic  power,  but 
a  succession  of  persons  in  apostolic  doctrine."  Arch- 
bishop Whately  says:  "There  is  not  a  minister  in  all 
Christendom  who  is  able  to  trace  up,  with  approach  to 
certainty,  his  spiritual  pedigree."  John  Wesley,  whom 
Churchmen  are  so  fond  of  quoting  for  the  benefit  of 
Methodists,  says:  "The  uninterrupted  succession  I 
know  to  be  a  fable,  which  no  man  ever  did  or  can 
prove."  Let  it  be  remembered  that  all  these  testimo- 
nies are  from  Churchmen,  whom  it  would  naturally 


Articles  of  Reliyion.  21 

gratify  to  find  evict  mce  of  an  unbroken  succession,  what- 
ever might  be  their  estimate  of  its  value.  Yet  this  is 
the  dogma  on  the  strength  of  which  High-churchmen 
disfranchise  non-episcopal  Churches  of  their  Christian 
birthrights.  

CHAPTER    III. 

AKTICLES  OF  RELIGION. 

The  Church  being  regularly  organized  and  officered, 
the  Articles  of  Keligion  were  adopted  as  her  standard 
of  faith.  The  Twenty-five  Articles  of  Eeligion  were 
extracted  by  Mr.  Wesley  from  the  Thirty-nine  Arti- 
cles of  the  Church  of  England.  We  give  these  Arti- 
cles, with  Scripture  quotations  and  such  notes  as  tend 
to  explain  the  meaning  and  importance  of  them. 

I.  Of  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity. 
There  is  but  one  living  and  true  God,  everlasting, 
without  body  or  parts ;  of  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and 
goodness;  the  maker  and  preserver  of  all  things,  both 
visible  and  invisible.  And  in  unity  of  this  Godhead, 
there  are  three  persons  of  one  substance,  power,  and 
eternity — the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Proof;?. — "Hear,  O  Israel:  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord." 
(Dent.  vi.  4.)  "Owe  God  and  Father  of  all."  (Eph.  iv.  6.)  "But 
llie  Lord  is  the  true  God.  He  is  the  living  God."  (Jer.  x.  10.) 
"  From  everlasting  to  everlasting  thou  art  God."  (Ps.  xc.  2.)  "  God  is 
a  Spirit."  (John  iv.  24.)  "The  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 
(Rev.  xix.  G.)  "To  God  only  wise,  he  glory."  (Kom.  xvi.  27.) 
"The  Lord  is  good  to  all ;  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  hie 
\vi  irks."  ( Ps.  cxl v.  9. )  "  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost."     (1  John  v.  7.1 

Note. 
The  CieatN      Power  of  God. — "In  the  beginning 


22  Tiie  Methodist  Armor. 

God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth."  The  Bible 
assumes  the  existence  of  God.  "The  architect  is 
simply  named  in  the  description  of  the  building."  It 
is  left  to  the  reader  to  see  the  eternal  cause  in  the  stu- 
pendous effect  before  him.  There  can  be  no  effect 
without  an  adequate  cause.  This  is  a  self-evident 
truth.  Common  sense  leads  men  to  believe  that  the 
existence  of  a  house  implies  a  builder;  the  picture 
implies  a  painter;  a  watch  implies  a  watch-maker.  So 
the  existence  of  the  world,  the  earth,  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  implies  an  eternal  Creator.  This  universe  could 
not  have  built  itself;  such  a  supposition  is  a  bold  con- 
tradiction, because  it  implies  the  existence  of  a  thing 
possessed  of  creative  powers  before  it  did  exist. 

II.  Of  the  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  who  was  Made 
Very  Man. 
The  Son,  who  is  the  Word  of  the  Father,  the  very 
and  eternal  God,  of  one  substance  with  the  Father, 
took  man's  nature  in  the  womb  of  the  blessed  Virgin; 
so  that  two  whole  and  perfect  natures — that  is  to  say, 
the  Godhead  and  manhood — were  joined  together  in 
one  person,  never  to  be  divided,  whereof  is  one  Christ, 
very  God  and  very  man,  who  truly  suffered,  was  cru- 
cified, dead  and  buried,  to  reconcile  his  Father  to  us, 
and  to  be  a  sacrifice,  not  only  for  original  guilt,  but 
also  for  actual  sins  of  men. 

Proofs. — "There  is  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus."  (1  Tim.  ii.  5.)  "In  the  begin- 
ning was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Worn 
was  (rod."  (John  i.  1.)  "The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
among  us,  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only-begotter. 
of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  (John  i.  14.)  "  Forasmuch 
then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  him- 
se'f  likewise  took  part  of  the  sam«  "      (Heb.  ii.  14.)     "The  Hob 


Articles  of  Religion.  23 

Gtvet  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall 
overshadow  thee."     (Luke  i.  35.) 

Note. 
Jesus  Christ  is  God,  being  the  Word,  or  Logos. — "  In 
the  beginning  was  the  Word."  "  For  in  him  dwelleth 
all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead,  bodily."  "  For  by  him 
were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that 
are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be 
thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers:  all 
tilings  were  created  by  him,  and  for  him.  He  is  be- 
fore all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist 

For  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  full- 
ness dwell."  (Col.  i.  16-19.)  If  Christ  created  the 
world,  then  it  follows  necessarily  that  he  is  older  than 
the  world.  The  builder  of  a  house  must  be  older  than 
the  house.  His preexistence  is  thus  established.  Christ 
is  greater  than  the  universe.  The  maker  is  necessarily 
grander  than  the  thing  made.  He  is  greater  in  ex- 
tent, greater  in  power.  His  omnipresence  stretches 
out  far  beyond  the  outskirts  of  this  almost  immeas- 
urable universe.  His  omnipotence  is  greater  than  all 
the  forces  of  nature.  He  calmed  the  winds  that  sweep 
in  the  wild  rush  of  the  tornado;  he  controls  the  light- 
ning that  shivers  in  splinters  the  sturdy  oak.  The 
earthquake,  lifting  a  continent  on  its  gigantic  shoul- 
ders, he  wielded  to  liberate  Paul  and  Silas  from  impris- 
onment. He  is  owner  of  all  things.  Creation  gives  the 
most  valid  title  to  all  things  made.  "  For  him  all  things 
were  created."  All  temporal  things  are  but  as  a  scaffold 
used  to  build  up  the  great  temple  of  salvation  among 
nun. 

III.  Of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ. 

Christ  did  truly  rise  again  from  the  dead,  and  took 


24  The  Methodist  Armor. 

again  his  body,  with  all  things  appertaining  to  the 
perfection  of  man's  nature,  wherewith  he  ascended 
into  heaven,  and  there  sitteth  until  he  return  to  judge 
all  men  at  the  last  day. 

Proofs. — "Go  quickly  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is  risen  from 
the  dead."  (Matt,  xxviii.  7.)  "But  he,  whom  God  raised  again, 
saw  no  corruption."  (Actsxiii.  37.)  "To  this  end  Christ  both  died, 
and  rose,  and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and 
living;  for  we  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ." 
(Rom.  xiv.  9,  10.)  "But  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and 
become  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept."     (1  Cor.  xv.  20.) 

Notes. 

1.  The  resurrection  of  Christ  was  his  glorification  and 
the  seal  of  his  atoning  work. — It  demonstrated  his  divin- 
ity. It  established  the  truth  of  his  own  prediction, 
"  Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise 
it  again."  I  lay  down  my  life,  that  I  may  take  it  again. 
....  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I  have  power 
to  take  it  again."  The  resurrection  was  the  infallible 
proof  of  his  true  Messiahship.  For  either  he  arose 
by  his  own  power,  and  if  he  did  then  he  was  divine, 
or  he  was  raised  up  by  the  power  of  the  Father,  and 
if  this  be  so,  then  God  sets  his  seal  to  his  work,  for 
God  would  not  raise  from  the  dead  an  impostor. 

2.  His  resurrection  is  a  pledge  of  the  future  life  of  his 
people. — On  it  depended  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  of  life, 
the  fruit  of  the  ascension.  The  Lord  rose  again  as 
the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept.  "  If  we  be  dead 
with  him,  Ave  shall  also  live  with  him."  "Because  I 
live,  ye  shall  live  also." 

3.  The  proofs  of  Christ's  resurrection  are  abundant. — 
Five  times  he  showed  himself  alive  on  the  day  of  his 
resurrection — to  Mary  Magdalene,  to  another  companv 


Articles  of  Religion.  25 

of  women,  to  Peter,  to  two  disciples  on  their  way  to 
Enimaus,  to  the  eleven;  to  St.  Thomas  in  the  prayer- 
meeting;  then  in  Galilee;  to  seven,  and  to  five  hun- 
dred. They  knew  him  by  many  infallible  proofs.  He 
showed  them  the  marks  of  his  hands  and  feet,  even 
eating  and  drinking  with  his  disciples,  thus  proving 
the  verity  of  his  body.  The  Holy  Spirit  confirmed 
their  faith,  for  while  Peter  preached  the  risen  Christ, 
"the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard  the 

word." 

IV.  Of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Holy  Ghost,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  is  of  one  substance,  majesty,  and  glory,  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  very  and  eternal  God. 

Proofs. — "Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Matt,  xxviii.  19.)  "When  he, 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth."  (John 
xvi.  13.)  "The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  thai 
we  are  the  children  of  God."  (Rom.  viii.  16.)  "The  eternal  Spirit.' 
(Heb.  ix.  14.)  "Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,"     (2  Pet.  i.  21.) 

Notes. 

1.  "The  Christian  creed  receives  and  adores  the 
mystery  that  one  essence  exists  in  a  trinity  of  coequal 
personal  subsistences,  related  as  the  Father,  the  Eter- 
nal Son  of  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  eternally 
proceeding  from  the  Father  and  Son." 

2.  The  personality  and  divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
are  set  forth  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  As, 
"Let  us  make  man  in  our  image;  "  "And  the  Spirit  of 
God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."  The  Spirit 
of  God  is  creative:  "  The  Spirit  of  God  hath  made 
me.  and  the  breath  of  the  Almighty  hath  given   me 


2G  The  Methodist  Armor. 

life."  He  is  no  less  active  in  providence:  "  My  Spirit 
shall  not  always  strive  with  man."  He  is  omnipres- 
3nt:  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit?  " 

3.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  a  divine  person,  distinct  from 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  He  proceeds  from  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son,  and  therefore  can  be  neither;  yet  he 
is  associated  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  in  the  divine 
work  of  creating  and  preserving  all  things.  The  per- 
sonal pronoun  he  is  applied  to  one  who  is  another  Com- 
forter: "When  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will 
send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  who  proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  shall  tes- 
tify of  me." 

V.  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for 
Salvation. 
The  Holy  Scriptures  contain  all  things  necessary  to 
salvation;  so  that  whatsoever  is  not  read  therein,  nor 
may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  required  of  any 
man,  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an  article  of  faith, 
or  be  thought  requisite  or  necessary  to  salvation.  In 
the  name  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  Ave  do  understand 
those  canonical  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment, of  whose  authority  was  never  any  doubt  in 
the  Church.  The  names  of  the  canonical  books  are 
Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Numbers,  Deuteronomy, 
Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  The  First  Book  of  Samuel, 
The  Second  Book  of  Samuel,  The  First  Book  of 
Kings,  The  Second  Book  of  Kings,  The  First  Book  of 
Chronicles,  The  Second  Book  of  Chronicles,  The  Book 
of  Ezra,  The  Book  of  Nehemiah,  The  Book  of  Esther, 
The  Book  of  Job,  The  Psalms,  The  Proverbs,  Eccle- 
6iastes,  or  the  Preacher,  Cantica,  or  Songs  of  Solomon, 
Four  Prophets  the  greater,  Twelve  Prophets  the  less 


Articles  of  Religion.  27 

All  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  as  they  are 
commonly  received,  we  do  receive  and  account  canon- 
ical. 

Proofs. — "The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul, 
(he  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple."  (Vs. 
xix.  7.)  "Search  the  Scriptures :  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal 
life;  and  they  are  they  which  which  testify  of  me."  (John  v.  39.) 
"  From  a  child  thou  hast  known  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to 
make  thee  wise  unto  salvation."  (2  Tim.  iii.  15.)  "All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof, 
for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness."  (2  Tim.  iii.  16.) 
"And  receive  with  meekness  the  ingrafted  word,  Avhich  is  able  to 
save  your  souls."     (James  i.  21.) 

Notes. 
1 .  This  Article  teaches  that  the  Bible  is  to  be  ap- 
pealed to  in  the  final  settlement  of  all  questions  of  faith 
and  practice.  It  is  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 
"  The  Bible,  the  Bible  is  the  religion  of  Protestants." 
Bat  the  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  "Scripture  and 
tradition,  and  these  explained  by  the  Catholic  clergy, 
are  the  rule  of  faith."  The  bulls  of  popes,  filling  eight 
volumes;  the  decretals,  acts  of  councils,  the  acts  sanc- 
tum, making  ninety  volumes;  azk  unlimited  mass  of 
unwritten  traditions,  which  have  been  accumulating, 
like  drift-wood  on  a  river,  from  the  commencement  of 
the  Christian  era  up  to  the  present  time— all  these 
cumbrous  human  inventions,  added  to  the  Bible,  con- 
stitute the  Catholic  rule  of  faith.  The  Council  of 
Trent  decreed  that  these  traditions,  both  written  and 
unwritten,  are  of  equal  authority  with  the  Bible,  and 
he  that  denies  this  shall  be  accursed.  But  Meth- 
odism, in  common  with  all  Protestants,  teaches  that 
"the  Holy  Sen))/ 1' res  contain  all  things  necessary  >o  tal 
nation." 


28  The  Methodist  Armor. 

2.  The  Romanists  oppose  the  private  reading  of  the 
Bible  as  a  sin.  But  we  hold  the  truths  of  the  Bible 
are  addressed  to  all,  and  are  comprehensible  by  all,  and 
therefore  the  command  "  Search  the  Scriptures  "  is 
equally  binding  upon  all.  "  The  Word  of  God  is  the 
book  of  the  common  people;  it  is  the  workingman's 
book;  it  is  the  child's  book;  it  is  the  slave's  book;  it  is 
the  book  of  every  creature  that  is  downtrodden;  it  is 
a  book  that  carries  with  it  the  leaven  of  God's  soul; 
it  is  a  book  that  tends  to  make  men  larger,  and  better, 
and  sweeter,  and  that  succors  them  all  through  life. 
And  do  you  suppose  it  is  going  to  be  lost  out  of  the 
world?  When  the  Bible  is  lost  out  of  the  world,  it 
will  be  because  there  are  no  men  in  it  who  are  in 
trouble  and  need  succoring,  no  men  who  are  oppressed 
and  need  release,  no  men  who  are  in  darkness  and  need 
light,  no  men  who  are  hungry  and  need  food,  no  men 
who  are  sinning  and  need  mercy,  no  men  who  are  lost 
and  need  the  salvation  of  God.  Let  us  therefore  take 
the  Word  of  God  as  our  friend,  and  hold  it  to  our 
heart,  and  make  it  the  man  of  our  counsel,  our  guide, 
the  lamp  to  our  feet,  the  light  to  our  path.  Use  it, 
as  God  meant  it  to  be  used,  as  the  soul's  food  and 
the  soul's  joy,  and  it  shall  be  your  life's  rest." 

VI.  Of  the  Old  Testament. 
The  Old  Testament  is  not  contrary  to  the  New;  tor 
both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  everlasting  life 
is  offered  to  mankind  by  Christ,  who  is  the  only  Me- 
diator between  God  and  man,  being  God  and  mar. 
Wherefore  they  are  not  to  be  heard  who  feign  that 
the  old  fathers  did  look  only  for  transitory  promises. 
Although  the  law  given  from  God  by  Moses,  as  touch- 
ing ceremonies  and  rites,  doth  not  bind  Christians. 


Articles  of  Religion.  29 

nor  ought  the  civil  precepts  thereof  of  necessity  to  be 
received  in  any  Commonwealth,  yet,  notwithstanding, 
no  Christian  whatsoever  is  free  from  the  obedience  of 
the  commandments  which  are  called  moral. 

Proofs. — "Beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the  prophets,  he  ex- 
pounded unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concerning  him- 
self. And  he  said  unto  them,  These  are  the  words  which  I  spake 
unto  you,  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled, 
which  were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in 
the  Psalms,  concerning  me."  (Luke  xxiv.  27,  44-45.)  "Think  not 
that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law,  or  the  prophets ;  I  am  not  come 
to  destroy,  but  to  fulfill."     (Matt.  v.  17.) 

Note. 

The  harmony  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  is  clear- 
ly seen  in  the  fact  that  Christ  and  the  apostles  made 
frequent  quotations  from  the  former.  Some  writer 
has  shown  that  about  ninety  quotations  from  the  Old 
Testament  are  found  in  the  teaching  of  Christ.  To 
establish  the  resurrection  against  the  Sadducees, 
Christ  quotes  from  Ex.  iii.  6;  to  establish  the  primi- 
tive institution  of  marriage,  quotes  from  Gen.  i.  27; 
to  answer  the  question  as  to  the  great  commandment, 
quotes  from  Deut.  vi.  5 ;  to  show  that  David's  Son  was 
David's  Lord,  from  Ps.  ex.  1;  to  preach  a  sermon,  from 
Isa.  lxi.  1.  Besides  these,  and  many  more,  there  are 
references  in  our  Lord's  discourses  to  Jonah  as  a  type 
of  the  resurrection,  to  the  brazen  serpent,  to  the  living 
water  and  manna  in  the  desert,  to  Abel,  Noah,  Abra- 
ham, Lot,  Solomon,  Moses,  Elijah,  and  Daniel.  When 
tempted  by  the  devil,  his  great  weapon  of  defense  was, 
"  It  is  written."  It  is  clear  that  Christ  studied  the  Old 
Scriptures  with  devoted  care,  and  made  constant  use 
of  their  truths  in  his  teachings.     "The  two  Testa- 


30  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ments,  Old  and  New,  like  two  breasts  of  the  same 
person,  give  the  same  milk."  The  river  of  salva- 
tion took  its  rise  in  the  mountains  of  Judea,  and  de- 
scended into  the  plain  of  the  gospel,  and,  like  the 
Nile,  spread  beauty  and  fertility  along  its  deepening 
and  widening  course. 

VII.  Of  Original  or  Birth  Sin. 

Original  sin  standeth  not  in  the  following  of  Adam 
(as  the  Pelagians  do  vainly  talk),  but  it  is  the  corruption 
of  the  nature  of  every  man  that  naturally  is  engen- 
dered of  the  offspring  of  Adam,  whereby  man  is  very 
far  gone  from  original  righteousness,  and  of  his  own 
nature  inclined  to  evil,  and  that  continually. 

Proofs. — "By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  deatli  by 
sin;  and  so  deatli  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned." 
(Rom.  v.  12.)  "By  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sin- 
ners." (Rom.  v.  19.)  "Behold,  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in 
sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me."  (Ps.  li.  5.)  "And  were  by  nature 
the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others."     (Eph.  ii.  3.) 

Notes. 

1.  The  doctrine  of  the  Pelagians  was  that  children 
are  born  pure  and  innocent,  and  that  they  become  cor- 
rupt by  outside  influences,  by  imitating  or  following 
evil  examples,  by  vicious  education  and  society. 

2.  "  The  orthodox  view  is  that  this  native  corruption 
is  derived  from  a  sinful  ancestry,  in  whose  loss  of  puri- 
ty their  whole  posterity  is  involved.  This  view  repre- 
sents the  depravity  of  humun  nature  as  coming  from 
the  laws  of  natural  descent,  the  child  inheriting  from 
the  parent  a  corrupt  nature,  prone  to  evil,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  he  runs  easily  into  open  sin.  'Adam 
begat  a  son  in  his  own  likeness.'  -  (Gen.  v.  3.)     '  Be- 


Articles  of  Religion.  31 

hold,  I  was  sliapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did  my 
mother  conceive  me.'  (Ps.  li.  5.)  '  Prom  within,  out 
of  the  heart  of  men,  proceed  evil  thoughts.'  (Mark 
vii.  21.)  On  these  passages,  and  others,  the  doctrine 
of  original  sin  is  based.  There  is  nothing  unreason- 
able in  this  doctrine.  For  it  is  well  known  that  men 
do  transmit  bodily  ailments  and  mental  peculiarities 
to  their  children.  Dishonest  men  tend  to  have  dis- 
honest children;  thieves  tend  to  breed  thieves;  mur- 
derers, murderers;  drunkards,  drunkards;  insane  men 
propagate  insanity.  'He  that  soweth  to  the  flesh 
shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption.'  Man,  when  he 
comes  into  the  world,  has  seeds  in  his  very  nature- 
tendencies  to  act,  and  this  in  a  particular  way.  Some 
of  these  are  for  good;  some  are  decidedly  toward 
evil.  There  is  certainly  an  original  sin — otherwise 
there  would  not  be  universal  actual  sin — among  chil- 
dren as  soon  as  they  begin  to  act  for  themselves,  and 
among  men  of  all  ages  and  countries.  My  view  of  this 
original  sin  is  that  it  is  very  much  like  that  tendency 
toward  evil  which  is  produced  by  a  course  of  wicked- 
ness. Let  a  man  go  on  in  intemperance  for  a  length 
of  time,  and  this  creates  a  craving  for  drink.  It  is 
Baid  that  when  the  father  has  been  an  habitual  drunk- 
ard the  son  is  apt  to  have  an  inclination  toward  bodily 
stimulants.  This  tendency  of  evil  to  propagate  itself 
is  inherited  from  the  first  transgressors,  and  has  be- 
come hereditary." — Dr.  McCosh. 

3.  The  moral  status  of  children. — "The  benefits  of 
Christ's  death  are  coextensive  with  the  sin  of  Adam 
(Rom.  v.  18),  hence  all  children  dying  in  infancy  par- 
take of  the  free  gift."  "  Infants  are  not  indeed  born 
justified;  nor  are  they  capable  of  that  voluntary  ac- 


32  The  Methodist  Armor. 

coptaneo  of  the  benefits  of  the  free  gift  which  is  nec- 
essary in  the  case  of  adults;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  cannot  reject  it,  and  it  is  by  the  rejection  of  it 
that  adults  perish.  The  process  by  which  grace  is 
communicated  to  infants  is  not  revealed;  the  manner 
doubtless  differs  from  that  employed  toward  adults.' 
— Watson. 

"Children  are  born  into  the  world  sustaining, 
through  the  atonement,  such  a  relation  to  the  moral 
kingdom  of  God  as  that  they  are  proper  subjects  of 
God's  regenerating  grace,  and  those  dying  in  infancy 
come  into  actual  possession  of  all  these  blessings. 
They  may  now  be  prepared  for  and  admitted  into  the 
kingdom  by  the  grace  of  God.  This  is  sufficiently 
evident  from  our  Lord's  words,  '  Suffer  the  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.' " — Dr.  Raymond. 

4.  How  soon  can  we  look  for  the  conversion  of  our  chil- 
dren?— "  There  is  absolutely  no  authority  whatever  in 
Scripture  for  the  popular  notion  that  a  certain  degree 
of  mental  and  moral  development  is  necessary  before 
this  gift  of  divine  life  can  be  imparted.  "We  should 
pray  for  our  children  that,  like  John  the  Baptist,  they 
may  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  from  their  mother's 
womb.  We  should  expect  that,  like  Isaiah  and  Jere- 
miah, they  will  be  sanctified  from  the  cradle.  How 
old  must  a  rosebud  be  before  it  receives  that  life  that 
enables  it  to  blossom  ?  It  may  be  stunted,  and  dwarf 
and  die — the  blossom  may  never  come.  But  the  nor- 
mal law  of  God  is  rosebud  and  blossom  on  every  bush. 
Converted!  Christ  says,  'Except  ye  be  converted, 
and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  thi? 
kingdom  of  heaven.'    We  reverse  his  saying.     Om 


Articles  of  Religion.  33 

reading  to  the  children  is,  Except  ye  become  as  grown 
men,  and  be  converted.  The  vine  need  not  trail  on 
the  ground  till  it  is  ten  years  old,  and  then  be  trained 
on  the  trellis.  The  only  way  to  insure  a  good  peach 
is  to  cut  back  the  stick  that  grows  from  the  stone,  and 
put  on  a  new  graft.  In  God's  kingdom  the  best  fruit 
grows  from  the  stone.  The  son  need  not  wander  oft 
from  his  father's  home,  spend  his  substance  in  riotous 
living,  and  eat  the  husks  that  the  swine  do  feed  on,  in 
order  to  be  acceptable  to  his  father,  and  have  the  best 
robe,  and  the  ring,  and  the  fatted  calf.  The  immeas- 
urable love  of  God  gives  us  this  infinite  grace,  not 
because  of  our  wanderings,  but  in  spite  of  them.  The 
Church  will  never  make  its  best  progress  until  it  gets 
rid  of  this  unscriptural  idea — that  the  child  must  grow 
up  recreant  and  be  converted  in  maturity,  that  it  must 
grow  up  outside  the  kingdom  of  God  and  be  brought 
in  late  in  life.  What  progress  should  we  make  in 
the  common  virtues  if  we  were  to  proceed  in  the  same 
philosophy?" 

VIII.  Of  Free-will. 

The  condition  of  man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is  such, 
that  he  cannot  turn  and  prepare  himself,  by  his  own 
natural  strength  and  works,  to  faith,  and  calling  upon 
God;  wherefore  we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works, 
pleasant  and  acceptable  to  God,  without  the  grace 
of  God  by  Christ  preventing  us,  that  we  may  have  a 
good  will,  and  working  with  us,  when  we  have  that 
good  will. 

Proofs. — "I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches.     lie  that  abideth 
in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  fortli  much  fruit;  for  with- 
out me  ye  can  do  nothing."     (John  xv.  5.)     "  For  when  ye  were 
yet  withovt  strength,  in  clue   time  Christ   died   for  the   ungodly." 
3 


34  The  Methodist  Armor. 

(Mdin.  v.  6.)     "You  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in   tre» 
passes  and  sins."     (Enh.  ii.  1.) 

Notes. 

1.  The  term  "preventing"  has  here  the  old  English 
meaning  of  "  going  before  and  helping." 

2.  Man  is  convicted  and  converted  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  but  the  will  of  man  must  cooperate 
in  the  work.  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you 
both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 

"  The  Divine  Spirit  is  atmospheric,  and  it  becomes 
personal  whenever  any  person  appropriates  it.  The 
sunlight  has  in  it  all  harvests;  but  we  do  not  reap  a 
single  thing  until  that  sunlight  is  appropriated  by 
some  root,  or  some  leaf,  or  some  blossom,  or  some- 
thing in  the  ground.  The  sunlight  on  the  Sahara  has 
neither  wheat  nor  corn.  These  are  only  to  be  had  in 
the  field  where  seeds  are  planted,  where  the  nature  of 
the  seeds  works  with  the  sunlight,  and  where  the  soil 
is  quickened  and  stimulated  by  the  heat  and  moisture 
that  go  with  them.  The  divine  influence  works  in 
men  to  will  and  to  do  by  their  nature,  by  their  very 
law  of  organization;  and  when  a  man  becomes  con- 
verted, it  is  by  both  the  divine  influence  and  the  exer- 
cise of  his  own  energies;  that  is  to  say,  they  cooper- 
ate.    It  is  a  unitary,  although  a  complex  work. 

"  Some  say  that  you  must  wait  for  the  Spirit.  Wait 
for  the  Spirit!  How  long  must  a  man  lie  in  bed  wait- 
ing for  the  sunrise?  The  sun  is  up,  and  has  been 
up  an  hour,  two  hours,  five  hours.  It  is  noonday,  it 
is  afternoon,  and  the  sluggard  lies  waiting  for  the  sun 
to  bring  him  out!  How  foolish  it  is  when  you  apply 
it  to  any  thing  except  a  technically  religious  mutter! 


Articles  of  Religion.  35 

The  Divine  Spirit  is  like  the  mother  s  heart.  It  is 
universal  and  infinite.  It  is  the  mother-soul  of  the 
universe,  with  infinite  power,  and  sweetness,  and  beau- 
ty, and  glory,  shining  down  upon  all  men,  good  and 
bad,  high  and  low,  ignorant  and  educated,  and  stimu- 
lating them  to  be  better,  to  be  nobler,  to  be  higher; 
and  what  time  any  man  accepts  the  influence  of  the 
Divine  Spirit,  and  cooperates  with  it,  that  moment  the 
work  is  done  by  the  stimulus  of  God  acting  with  the 
practical  energy  and  will  of  the  human  soul." 

IX.  Of  the  Justification  of  Man. 
We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God  only  for 
the  merit  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  by 
faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or  deservings:  where- 
fore, that  we  are  justified  by  faith  only,  is  a  most  whole- 
some doctrine,  and  very  full  of  comfort. 

Proofs. — "  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ;  and  that 
not  of  yourselves:  it  is  the  gift  of  God;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast."  (Eph.  ii.  8,  9.)  "Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man 
is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law."  (Rom.  iii.  28.) 
"Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."     (Rom.  v.  1.) 

Notes. 

1.  Doctrine. — The  originating  cause  of  justification 
is  the  free,  spontaneous  love  of  God.  "  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life." 

2.  The  meritorious  ground  of  pardon  is  the  atone- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  through  Jesus  Christ.  We 
are  "justified  by  his  blood."  "Reconciled  to  God 
by  the  death  of  his  Son."  "  Christ  once  suffered  for 
sins." 


36  The  Methodist  Armor. 

3.  Personal  faith  is  the  instrumental  cause  of  justifi- 
cation. It  is  through  faith.  "  Being  justified  by  faith." 
Saving  faith  excludes  works  as  a  ground  of  justifica- 
tion, ft  is  not  by  the  merit  of  faith  itself,  but  only 
by  faith,  as  that  which  embraces  and  appropriates  the 
merit  of  Christ.  Faith  is  the  hand  receiving  the  gift 
of  salvation. 

ResulU:  First,  restoration  to  Divine  favor.  "We 
have  peace  with  God."  Second,  adoption  into  the 
family  ot  God.  "If  children,  then  heirs,  heirs  of 
God."     "  Whom  he  justifies,  them  he  also  glorifies." 

X.  Of  Good  Works. 
Althougl .  good  works,  which  are  the  fruits  of  faith, 
and  follow  after  justification,  cannot  put  away  our 
sins  and  oivlure  the  severity  of  God's  judgment;  yet 
are  they  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  in  Christ, 
and  spring  out  of  a  true  and  lively  faith,  insomuch 
that  by  them  a  lively  faith  may  be  as  evidently  known 
as  a  tree  is  discerned  by  its  fruit. 

Proofs. — "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  he  jus- 
tified in  his  sight."  (Horn.  iii.  20.)  "Not  by  works  of  righteous- 
ness which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us." 
(Titus  iii.  5.) 

Notes. 

L.  The  Bible  clearly  teaches  that  faith  in  Christ  is 
the  ground  of  salvation,  but  that  good  works  are  the 
measure  of  our  reward.  Saved  by  faith,  but  preserved 
by  good  works,  is  the  true  doctrine. 

2.  The  above  Article  also  levels  its  force  against  the 
Catholic  doctrine  of  good  works  as  having  an  atoning 
merit  in  them.  Thus  it  was  taught  that  when  men 
made  pilgrimages,  went  through  a  course  of  fasting, 
gave  donations,  repeated  the  Credo,  the  Ave,  the  Pater 


Articles  of  Religion.  3? 

Noster,  these  were  set  down  to  their  credit  as  so  much 
over  against  wrong-doing.  They  falsely  assumed  re- 
ligion to  be  a  mere  business,  conducted  as  the  trans- 
actions of  a  man's  store  where  books  of  debit  and  credit 
were  kept. 

3.  While  the  Article  cautions  us  as  to  the  two  par- 
ticulars mentioned,  it  at  the  same  time,  in  harmony 
with  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures,  urges  the  neces- 
sity of  maintaining  good  works  as  the  evidence  and 
fruits  of  regeneration.  Good  works  may  be  denned 
to  be  right  motives  flowing  out  into  right  actions.  Good 
works  are  the  outward  expression  of  good  feelings 
Grace  in  the  heart  is  the  fountain,  the  good  works  are 
the  streams  flowing  from  it.  Love  and  good  works 
are  fountain  and  stream.  And  in  proportion  to  the 
fullness  of  the  lake  of  grace  in  the  heart  will  be  the 
greatness,  beauty,  and  fertility  of  the  rivers  of  good 
works  flowing  from  it.  A  feeble  fountain  will  produce 
a  feeble  stream. 

XI.  Of  Works  of  Supererogation. 

Voluntary  works,  besides  over  and  above  God's  com- 
mandments, which  are  called  works  of  supererogation, 
cannot  be  taught  without  arrogancy  and  impiety.  For 
by  them  men  do  declare  that  they  do  not  only  render 
unto  God  as  much  as  they  are  bound  to  do,  but  that 
they  do  more  for  his  sake  than  of  bounden  duty  is  re- 
quired: whereas  Christ  saith  plainly,  When  ye  have 
done  all  that  is  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofit- 
able servants. 

Proofs. — "  Is  it  any  pleasure  to  the  Almighty,  that  thou  art  right- 
eous? or  is  it  gain  to  him,  that  thou  makest  thy  ways  perfect?" 
(Job  xxii.  3.)     "So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall  have  done  all  those 


38  The  Methodist  Armor. 

tilings  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants-, 
we  have  done  that  which  was  our  duty  to  do."     (Luke  xvii.  10.) 

Note. 
The  error  of  the  Catholic  Church  against  which 
this  Article  is  directed  teaches  that  "there  is  an  im 
mense  treasure  of  merit,  composed  of  the  pious  deeds 
of  the  saints,  which  they  have  performed  beyond  what 
was  necessary  for  their  own  salvation,  and  which  were 
applicable  to  the  benefit  of  others."  But  the  Bible 
teaches  that  the  circle  of  duty  takes  in  the  entire  abil- 
ity of  man,  and  therefore  leaves  no  room  for  the  works 
of  supererogation.  Out  of  the  doctrine  of  superero- 
gation came  the  wicked  system  of  selling  indulgences 
to  commit  sin,  which  so  shocked  Luther  as  moved  him 
to  begin  and  carry  on  the  great  work  of  the  German 
Reformation. 

XII.  Of  Sin  After  Justification. 
Not  every  sin  willingly  committed  after  justification 
is  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  unpardonable. 
Wherefore,  the  grant  of  repentance  is  not  to  be  denied 
to  such  as  fall  into  sin  after  justification:  after  wa 
have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  may  depart  from 
grace  given,  and  fall  into  sin,  and,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  rise  again  and  amend  our  lives.  And,  therefore, 
they  are  to  be  condemned  who  say  they  can  no  more 
sin  as  long  as  they  live  here,  or  deny  the  place  of  for- 
giveness to  such  as  truly  repent. 

Proofs. — "Return,  ye  backsliding  children,  and  I  will  heal  your 
backslidings."  (Jer.  iii.  22.)  "If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advo 
eate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous."  (1  John  ii.  1.) 
"If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins." 
(1  John  i.  0.)  "Remember  therefore  from  whence  thou  art  fallen 
wid  repent,  and  do  the  first  works."     (Rev.  ii.  5.) 


Articles  of  Religion.  39 

Note. 
This  Article  denies  the  dogma  anciently  taught  by 
some,  that  every  sin  committed  after  justification  is 
the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  ascribing  the  miraculous  works  of  Christ 
to  the  agency  of  the  devil.  The  scribes  said,  "He 
(Christ)  hath  Beelzebub,  and  by  the  prince  of  devils 
casteth  he  out  devils."  And  Christ,  commenting  on 
this  charge,  says :  "  But  he  that  shall  blaspheme  against 

the  Holy  Ghost  hath  never  forgiveness Because 

*hey  said,  He  hath  an  unclean  spirit.''''  This  unpardona- 
ble sin  is  that  grade  of  wickedness  and  settled  malig- 
nity, that  hardening  of  the  heart,  which  is  not  the  result 
of  ignorance,  but  of  a  deliberate,  systematic,  and  perse- 
vering opposition  to  clearly  demonstrated  and  unmis- 
takable truth.  It  is  not  a  state  arrived  at  all  at  once, 
but  is  approached  by  a  long  series  of  Avillf  ul  resistances 
to  the  known  truth,  and  is  unpardonable,  not  because 
God  withholds  mercy  to  any  truly  penitent,  but  be- 
cause all  such  have  reached  such  a  state  of  moral  des- 
peration that  they  will  not  ask  or  receive  pardon  on  the 
conditions  of  the  gospel.  The  unpardonable  state  is 
in  the  man,  not  in  the  unwillingness  of  God  to  forgive. 
The  sign  of  this  condition  is  utter  moral  insensibility. 
Wherever  there  is  spiritual  sensibility  enough  to  make 
a  man  fear  he  has  committed  it,  it  is  certain  proof  that 
re  has  not. 

XIII.  Of  the  Church. 

The  visible  Cli  arch  of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of 
faithful  men,  in  which  the  pure  word  of  God  is 
preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly  administered,  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  ordinance,  in  all  those  things  that 
of  necessity  are  requisite  to  the  same. 


±U  The  Methodist  Armor. 

1'roofs. — "  Unto  the  Church  of  God  ....  to  them  that  arc  sanc- 
tified in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints,  with  all  that  in  every  place 
call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours." 
(1  Cor.  i.  2.)  "And  he  gave  some,  apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and 
some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ."     (Eph.  i  v.  11,  12.) 

Notes. 

1.  The  definition  of  a  Church  given  in  the  above  Ar- 
ticle is  broad  and  comprehensive.  In  the  analysis 
we  have:  (1)  A  congregation  of  faithful  men.  (2)  The 
recognition  of  the  Bible,  or  the  pure  Word  of  God,  as 
the  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  (3)  The  recognition  of 
the  living  ministry  to  preach  and  expound  this  word. 
(4)  The  sacraments  (Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper) 
properly  administered.  These  are  the  four  corner- 
stones of  the  Church  which  Christ  founded  on  the 
rock — his  own  divine  character.  The  definition  har- 
monizes perfectly  with  the  elements  found  in  the 
apostolic  Church  as  described  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles;  and  allows  all  Methodists  to  recognize  all 
other  denominations  as  being  gospel  Churches  that 
come  in  the  scope  of  the  above  definition. 

2.  Denominational  exclusiveness  grows  out  of  a  false 
definition  of  what  a  gospel  Church  is.  To  illustrate, 
the  Romish  authority  defines  a  Church  thus:  "The 
company  of  Christians  knit  together  by  the  profession 
of  the  same  faith,  and  communion  of  the  same  sacro 
ments,  under  the  government  of  lawful  pastors,  and 
especially  of  the  Roman  bishop  as  the  only  vicar  of 
Christ  on  earth."  Thus  it  makes  the  supremacy  of 
the  Pope  an  essential  element  of  a  gospel  Church. 
Consequently,  it  would  logically  follow  that  tbf  Cath- 


Articles  (>f  Reliyum.  4} 

olic  is  the  only  true  Church.  Hence  Romish  bigotry. 
The  Baptists  define :  "A  visible  Church  of  Christ  is 
a  congregation  of  baptized  (immersed)  believers,"  etc. 
This  definition  cuts  off  all  Churches  whose  members 
are  not  immersed.     Hence  their  exclusiveness. 

XIV.  Of  Purgatory. 

The  Romish  doctrine  concerning  purgatory,  pardon, 
worshiping  and  adoration,  as  well  of  images  as  of 
relics,  and  also  invocation  of  saints,  is  a  fond  thing, 
vainly  invented,  and  grounded  upon  no  warrant  of 
Scripture,  but  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God. 

Proofs. — "Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only?"  (Mark  ii.  7.) 
"Thoushalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image."  (Ex.  xx.  4.) 
"Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
serve."     (Matt.  iv.  10.) 

Note. 

This  Article  condemns  a  cluster  of  Romish  errors. 
The  first  is  that  of  purgatory.  The  doctrine  of  the 
Romish  purgatory  implies  a  second  probation  for  cer- 
tain men.  But  the  Bible  teaches  that  there  is  no  sec- 
ond probation  after  death.  "In  the  place  where  the 
tree  falleth,  there  it  shall  be."  (Eccl.  xi.  3. )  "  He  that 
is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still ;  and  he  which  is  filthy, 
let  him  be  filthy  still."  (Rev.  xxii.  11.)  "Whatso- 
3ver  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  We  arc 
cleansed  from  sin,  not  by  purgatorial  fires,  but  by  th< 
blood  of  Christ.  There  is  not  a  single  passage  of  Script- 
ure, properly  expounded,  favoring  this  doctrine. 

The  second  error  is  priestly  absolution.  God  alone 
exercises  the  right  to  pardon  sin.  "  Who  can  forgive 
Bins  but  God  only  ?  "     ( Mark  ii.  7. ) 

The  third  error  is  image-worship,  which  is  posi- 
tively forbidden.     "Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee 


12  The  Methodist  Armor. 

any  graven  image,"  etc.  "  I  fell  down  to  worship  be. 
fore  the  feet  of  the  angel  which  shewed  me  these 
things.  Then  saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not, 
for  I  am  thy  fellow -servant:  ....  worship  God." 
(Rev.  xxii.  8,  9.) 

The  fourth  error  is  praying  to  departed  saints  to  in- 
tercede in  behalf  of  men  on  earth.  This  doctrine 
makes  saints  sub-mediators  between  God  and  men, 
whereas  the  Word  teaches,  "  There  is  one  God,  and 
one  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  the  man  Christ 
Jesus."     (1  Tim.  ii.  5.) 

X  V.  Of  Speaking  in  the  Congregation  in  Such  a 
Tongue  as  the  People  Understand. 

It  is  a  thing  plainly  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God, 
and  the  custom  of  the  primitive  Church,  to  have  pub- 
lic prayer  in  the  church,  or  to  minister  the  sacraments, 
in  a  tongue  not  understood  by  the  people. 

Pkoofs. — "He  that  speaketh  in  an  unknown  tongue,  speaketh 
not  unto  men,  but  unto  God :  for  no  man  unrlerstandetli  him.  In 
the  church  I  had  rather  speak  five  words  with  my  understanding 
....  than  ten  thousand  words  in  an  unknown  tongue."  (1  Cor. 
xiv.  2,  19.) 

Note. 
This  Article  justly  condemns  the  Roman  Catholic 
practice  of  reading  the  service  in  the  Latin  language 
to  English  congregations.  It  is  "  plainly  repugnant 
to  the  word  of  God."  To  conduct  the  public  prayers 
of  the  Church  in  an  unknown  tongue  is  not  only  con- 
trary to  common  sense,  but  to  the  custom  of  the  primi- 
tive Church.  In  202  A.D.,  Origen  says:  "The  Gre- 
cians pray  to  God  in  the  Greek,  the  Romans  in  the 
Roman,  and  every  one  in  his  own  tongue."  "The 
modern  practice  of  intoning  prayers  and  other  parts 


Articles  of  Religion.  43 

of  religious  worship  is  also  unintelligible,  and  opposed 
to  reasonable  service." 

XVI.  Op  the  Sacraments. 

Sacraments,  ordained  of  Christ,  are  not  only  badges 
31*  tokens  of  Christian  men's  profession,  but  rather 
they  are  certain  signs  of  grace,  and  God's  good-will 
toward  us,  by  the  which  he  doth  work  invisibly  in  us, 
and  doth  not  only  quicken,  but  also  strengthen  and 
confirm  our  faith  in  him. 

There  are  two  sacraments  ordained  of  Christ  our 
Lord  in  the  gospel ;  that  is  to  say,  Baptism  and  the 
Supper  of  the  Lord. 

Those  five  commonly  called  sacraments — that  is  to 
say,  confirmation,  penance,  orders,  matrimony,  and 
extreme  unction — are  not  to  be  counted  for  sacraments 
of  the  gospel,  being  such  as  have  partly  grown  out  of 
the  corrupt  following  of  the  apostles;  and  partly  are 
states  of  life  allowed  in  the  Scriptures,  but  yet  have 
not  the  like  nature  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
because  they  have  not  any  visible  sign  or  ceremony 
ordained  of  God. 

The  sacraments  were  not  ordained  of  Christ  to  be 
gazed  upon,  or  to  be  carried  about;  but  that  we  should 
duly  use  them.  And  in  such  only  as  worthily  receive 
the  same  they  have  a  wholesome  effect  or  operation; 
but  they  that  receive  them  unworthily  purchase  to  them- 
selves condemnation,  as  St.  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xi.  29. 

Proofs. — Christ  ordained  but  two  positive  sacraments — Baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper.  (See  Matt,  xxviii.  19;  Matt.  xxvi.  26, 
1  Cor.  xi.  23.) 

Note. 
The  five  sacraments  of  the  Catholic  Church  are  con- 
tinuation, penance,  orders,  matrimony,  and  extreme 


44  The  Methodist  Armor. 

unction.  Confirmation  in  the  Roman  Church  is  a  serv- 
ice by  which  those  baptized  in  infancy  publicly  take 
upon  themselves  the  obligations  of  the  baptismal  cov- 
enant, and  voluntarily  confirm  and  recognize  their 
Church-membership.  The  service  in  itself  is  proper 
enough,  but  not  such  in  solemn  dignity  as  to  entitle 
;t  to  be  placed  in  the  same  rank  with  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper.  The  same  may  be  said  of  "  or- 
ders," or  the  ordination  ceremony  of  the  ministry,  and 
of  matrimony.  Roman  penance  is  a  service  by  which 
a  penitent,  having  sinned  and  made  auricular  confes- 
sion, the  priest  grants  pardon  for  sins  committed  after 
baptism.  This  so-called  sacrament  is  founded  upon 
the  assumption  that  the  priest  has  power  to  forgive 
sin,  which  Protestantism  regards  as  blasphemous. 
Extreme  unction  is  a  service  consisting  in  anointing 
with  holy  oil  persons  at  the  point  of  death,  by  which 
sins  are  forgiven  and  grace  imparted. 

XVII.  Of  Baptism. 
Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession  and  mark 
of  difference  whereby  Christians  are  distinguished 
from  others  that  are  not  baptized,  but  it  is  also  a  sign 
of  regeneration,  or  the  new  birth.  The  baptism  of 
young  children  is  to  be  retained  in  the  Church. 

Proofs. — "Arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  call- 
ing on  the  name  of  the  Lord."  (Acts  xxii.  16.)  "Except  a  man 
be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  (John  iii.  5.)  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
shall  be  saved."     (Mark  xvi.  16.) 

Notes. 
A  brief  argument  in  favor  of  infant  baptism  will  be 
found  in  another  place. 


Articles  of  Religion.  45 

This  Article  defines  baptism  to  be: 

1.  A  sign  of  profession.  It  is  a  profession  of  faith 
in  Jesus  Chnst  as  the  Son  of  God.  When  a  person 
makes  a  profession  of  faith,  baptism  is  a  sign  of  that 
profession  and  a  pledge  of  loyalty  to  God  and  the 
Church.  It  is  a  profession  of  faith  in  all  the  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  salvation  as  taught  by  Christ. 
"  See,  here  is  water;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  bap- 
tized? And  Philip  said,  If  thou  believest  with  all 
thine  heart,  thou  mayest.     And  he  answered  and  said, 

I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God 

and  he  baptized  him."     (Acts  viii.  36.) 

2.  Baptism  is  "a  mark  of  difference  whereby  Chris- 
tians are  distinguished  from  others  that  are  not  baptized." 
The  Jew  was  distinguished  from  the  Gentile  by  the 
significant  mark  or  sign  of  circumcision.  In  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  baptism  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity  takes 
the  place  of  circumcision.  By  circumcision  the  Jew 
entered  into  the  Jewish  Church;  by  baptism  we  enter 
into  the  Christian  Church. 

3.  "It  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration"    The  cleansing 

water  is  a  fit  sign  of  the  cleansing  power  of  the  Holy 

Ghost. 

XVIII.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

The  Supper  of  the  Lord  is  not  only  a  sign  of  the 
love  that  Christians  ought  to  have  among  themselves 
one  to  another,  but  rather  is  a  sacrament  of  our  re- 
demption by  Christ's  death;  insomuch  that,  to  such 
as  rightly,  worthily,  and  with  faith  receive  the  same, 
the  bread  which  we  break  is  a  partaking  of  the  body 
of  Christ;  and  likewise  the  cup  of  blessing  is  a  par- 
taking  of  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Transubstantiatior   or  the  change  of  the  substance 


40  The  Methodist  Armor. 

of  bread  and  wine  in  the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  cannot 
be  proved  by  Holy  Writ,  but  is  repugnant  to  the  plain 
words  of  Scripture,  overthroweth  the  nature  of  a  sacra- 
ment, and  hath  given  occasion  to  many  superstitions. 

The  budy  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and  eaten  in  the 
Sapper  only  after  a  heavenly  and  spiritual  manner. 
And  the  means  whereby  the  body  of  Christ  is  received 
and  eaten  in  the  Supper  is  faith. 

The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  not  by 
Christ's  ordinance  reserved,  carried  about,  lifted  up, 
or  worshiped. 

Proofs. — "And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it, 
and  gave  unto  them,  saying,  This  is  my  body  which  is  given  for 
you :  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after 
supper,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood,  which 
is  shed  for  you."     (Luke  xxii.  19,  20.) 

Notes. 

1.  Names.  It  is  called  the  "Lord's  Supper"  be- 
cause it  was  first  instituted  in  the  evening,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  passover  supper.  It  is  called  a  "  sacra- 
ment," which  means  an  oath  of  renewed  allegiance  to 
Christ.  It  is  called  the  "  eucharist,"  which  means  the 
giving  of  thanks.  "He  took  bread  and  gave  thanks." 
A  " communion "  to  express  Christianfellowship. 

2.  The  import  of  the  Supper  is  a  commemoration.  "  This 
do  in  remembrance  of  me."  It  took  the  place  of  the 
passover,  which  commemorated  the  deliverance  of  the 
Israelites  from  Egyptian  bondage.  The  suffering  of 
Christ  delivers  the  world  from  Satanic  bondage.  A 
father  once  kept  a  canceled  bond  for  his  family  to 
look  upon,  and  see  how  he  had  paid  a  heavy  debt, 
through  much  self-sacrifice,  to  make  them  happy.  So 
Christ  has  canceled  the  claim  of-  justice  against  us. 


Articles  of  Religion.  47 

"  nailing  it  to  his  cross."     In  the  Lord's  Supper  his 
family  look  upon  this  bond. 

3.  Transubstantiationis  a  Romish  absurdity.  Being  in 
bodily  person  in  heaven,  and  at  the  right-hand  of  the 
throne  of  the  Father,  Christ  cannot  at  the  same  time 
be  visibly  and  bodily  in  the  hands  of  the  priests,  nor 
on  hundreds  of  altars  at  once.  The  expression  "  This 
is  my  body"  is  a  Hebraism  for  "This  represents  my 
body."  It  is  clearly  a  figure,  as  "  I  am  the  vine,"  "  I 
am  the  door,"  " I  am  the  way,"  "The  seven  good  kine 
are  seven  years."  Besides,  if  the  bread  and  wine  be 
actually  changed  into  the  real  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
how  could  these  material  things  nourish  and  feed  the 
soul,  which  is  a  spiritual  substance  ?  "  "  It  is  the  Spirit 
that  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing  "  in  feed- 
ing the  sord.  While  the  Lutherans  renounce  the  doc- 
trine of  trim  substantiation,  they  affirm  a  (^substan- 
tiation, which  is  akin  to  the  real  presence  of  the  Cath- 
olics. But  in  the  light  of  common  sense  both  the  tran 
and  the  con  are  alike  contrary  to  truth.  The  true  doc- 
trine is,  a  sacrament  is  a  holy  ordinance  instituted  by 
Christ,  wherein,  by  sensible  signs,  Christ  and  the  ben- 
efits of  the  new  covenant  are  represented,  seeded,  and  ap- 
plied to  believers.  The  sacrament  is  to  be  taken  after 
a  heavenly  and  spiritual  manner.  Its  benefit  depends 
upon  the  faith  of  the  communicant.  The  astronomer 
does  not  worship  the  telescope,  but  looks  through  it  out 
and  beyond  to  the  stars  in  the  heavens.  So  the  bread 
and  wine  are  as  a  telescope  through  which  the  eye  of 
faith  looks  to  Christ  dying  on  the  cross  for  the  sins 
of  the  world.  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me." 
XIX.  Of  Both  Kinds. 

The  cup  of  the  Lord  is  not  to  be  denied  to  the  lav 


IS  The  Methodist  Armor. 

people,  for  both  the  parts  ot  the  Lord's  Supper,  by 
Christ's  ordinance  and  commandment,  ought  to  be 
administered  to  all  Christians  alike. 

Proofs. —"He  took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to 
them  (the  disciples),  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it."  (Matt.  xxvi.  27.) 
"For  as  often  as  ye  (believers  in  common)  eat  this  bread,  and  drink 

this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  tome But  let  a 

man  (the  believer)  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that 
bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup."     (1  Cor.  xi.  2G,  28.) 

Note. 

Both  the  bread  and  the  wine  were  originally  admin- 
istered by  our  Lord  to  the  apostles,  and  both  elements 
were  ordered  to  be  given  to  the  lay  people  until  the 
coming  of  Christ.  The  command  is,  Drink,  all  of  you. 
Surely  Paul  was  not  addressing  the  clergy  when  he 
wrote  his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthian  Church,  in  which 
he  said,  "  Let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him 
eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.'" 

This  Bomish  error  grows  out  of  the  greater  one  of 
tiansubstantiation.  The  papists  teach  that  after  the 
bread  and  wine  are  changed  into  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Christ,  he  is  whole  and  entire  in  either  bread  oi 
wine,  and  so,  whatever  part  the  communicant  may 
receive,  he  receives  the  whole  Christ.  Therefore  that 
Church  has  decreed  to  give  "the  laity  only  in  one  kind." 
And  whoever  does  not  believe  with  that  Church,  it  says 
"  Let  him  be  accursed,'" 

XX.  Of  the  One  Oblation  of  Chlist  Finished 
upon  the  Cross. 

The  offering  of  Christ,  once  made,  is  that  perfect 
redemption,  propitiation,  and  satisfaction,  for  all  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and  actual ;  and 
there  is  none  other  satisfaction  for  sin  but  that  alone. 


Articles  of  Religion.  49 

Wherefore  the  sacrifice  of  masses,  in  which  it  is  com- 
monly said  that  the  priest  doth  offer  Christ  for  the 
q  uick  and  the  dead,  to  have  remission  of  pain  or  guilt, 
is  a  blasphemous  fable,  and  dangerous  deceit. 

Proofs. — "So  Christ  was  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  man  ." 
(Heb.  ix.  28.)     "Knowing  that  Christ  being  raised  from  the  dead 

dielh  no  more For  in  that  he  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once." 

(Rom.  vi.  9,  10.)  "Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other:  for 
there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby 
we  must  be  saved."  (Acts  iv.  12.)  "There  remaineth  no  more  sac- 
rifice for  sins.  (Heb.  x.  26.)  "After  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for 
sins  forever,  sat  down  on  the  right-hand  of  God ;  for  by  one  offering 
lie  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified."   (Heb.  x.  12, 14.) 

Note. 
This  Article  condemns  as  a  blasphemous  fable  the 
dogma  of  the  Catholic  Church  which  affirms  that 
Christ  is  offered  afresh  for  sin  every  time  the  mass 
is  celebrated,  and  teaches  the  Protestant  doctrine  that 
Christ  made  bid  one  offering  of  himself  for  sin,  and 
that  this  offering  is  perfect,  complete  in  every  respect, 
and  forever  final.  Therefore  "  the  Romanist  sacri- 
fice of  the  mass  has  no  sanction,  but  is  utterly  con- 
demned in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews." 

XXI.  Or  the  Marriage  oe  Ministers. 
The  ministers  of  Christ  are  not  commanded  by 
God's  law  either  to  vow  the  estate  of  single  life  or  to 
abstain  from  marriage ;  therefore  it  is  lawful  for  them, 
as  for  all  other  Christians,  to  marry  at  their  own  dis- 
cretion, as  they  shall  judge  the  same  to  serve  best  to 
godliness. 

Proofs. — The  Apostle  Peter  was  a  married  man.     "  When  Jesus 
was  come  into  Peter's  house,  he  saw  his  wife's  mother  laid,  and  sick 
of  a  fever."     (Matt.   viii.  14.)     Philip  the   evangelist  "had  foui 
4 


50  The  Methodist  Armor. 

daughters,  virgins,  which  did  prophesy."  (Acts  xxi.  9.)  Paul  says 
"A  hisliop  then  must  he  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife."  (1  Tim. 
iii.  2.)  "Let  the  deacons  he  the  husbands  of  one  wife."  (1  Tim.  iii. 
12.)  "Have  we  not  power  to  lead  about  ...  a  wife,  as  well  as  oth 
er  apostles?"     (1  Cor.  ix.  5.) 

Note. 
But  the  Church  of  Kome  has  commanded  her  min- 
isters not  to  marry,  which  command  they  strictly 
obey.  And  forbidding  to  marry  is  a  sign  of  an  apos- 
tate church.  (1  Tim .  iv.  1-3.)  But  the  Roman  Church 
not  only  forbids  marriage  to  her  clergy,  but  has  ex- 
alted the  marriage  of  the  laity  to  the  unscriptural  dig- 
nity of  a  sacrament.  What  bold  absurdities  and  gross 
errors! 

XXII.  Of  the  Rites  and  Ceeemonies  of  Churches. 
It  is  not  necessary  that  rites  and  ceremonies  should 
in  all  places  be  the  same,  or  exactly  alike,  for  they 
have  been  always  different,  and  may  be  changed  ac- 
cording to  the  diversity  of  countries,  times,  and  men's 
manners,  so  that  nothing  be  ordained  against  God's 
word.  Whosoever,  through  his  private  judgment, 
willingly  and  purposely,  doth  openly  break  the  rites 
and  ceremonies  of  the  Church  to  which  he  belongs, 
which  are  not  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  and  are 
ordained  and  approved  by  common  authority,  ought 
to  be  rebuked  openly,  that  others  may  fear  to  do  the 
like,  as  one  that  offendeth  against  the  common  order 
of  the  Church,  and  woundeth  the  consciences  of  weak 
brethren. 

Every  particular  Church  may  ordain,  change,  or 
abolish  rites  and  ceremonies,  so  that  all  things  may 
be  done  to  edification. 

Proofs. — "As  free,  and   not   using  your  liberty  for  a  cloplc   of 


Articles  of  Religion.  51 

maliciousness,  but  as  the  servants  of  God."  (1  Pet.  ii.  16.)  "Let 
every  man  be  fully  pursuaded  in  his  own  mind."  (Kom.  xiv.  5.) 
"Let  all  things  be  done  unto  edification."  (1  Cor.  xiv.  26.)  "The 
kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink."     (Rom.  xiv.  17.) 

Notes. 

1.  The  doctrines  and  institutions  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion axe,  positive  and  unchangeable,  while  her  rites  and 
ceremonies  are  circumstantial.  Baptism  may  be  ad- 
ministered by  pouring  or  immersion;  the  elements  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  may  be  received  sitting  or  kneeling; 
prayers  may  be  offered  in  public  kneeling  or  standing; 
we  may  stand  or  sit  in  singing,  etc. 

2.  This  Article  opposes  the  Catholics,  who  maintain 
that  the  authority  of  the  Church  is  supreme,  and  what- 
ever rite  she  may  ordain,  though  it  becomes  obsolete 
and  useless,  is  of  supreme  and  endless  obligation.  It 
teaches  that  whenever  a  ceremony  becomes  a  hinder- 
ance  to  the  real  progress  of  the  Church,  it  is  to  be 
laid  aside.  When  new  ones  are  needed  they  are  to  be 
used.  The  law  of  expediency  is  to  reign  as  to  these 
matters. 

3.  This  Article  also  teaches  that  when  rites  and  cer- 
emonies are  "  ordained  and  approved  "  by  the  proper 
authorities  of  the  Church,  they  are  not  to  be  tampered 
with  by  private  individuals.  No  person  is  allowed, 
"through  his  private  judgment,"  to  set  them  aside. 
This  secures  uniformity  of  Church  ceremonies. 

XXIII.  Of  the  Eulers  of  the  United  States  of 

America. 
The  President,  the  Congress,  the  General  Assem- 
blies, the  Governors,  and  the  Councils  of  State,  as  the 
delegates  of  the  people,  are  the  rulers  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  according  to  the  division  of  power 


0*4 


The  Methodist  Armor, 


made  to  thorn  by  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States, 
and  by  the  constitution  of  their  respective  States.  And 
the  said  States  are  a  sovereign  and  independent  na- 
tion, and  ought  not  to  be  subjec4"  to  any  foreign  juris- 
diction. 

Proofs. — "Let  every  soul  be  subject  unto  the  higher  powers. 
For  there  is  no  power  but  of  God;  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained 
of  God.  For  rulers  are  not  a  terror  to  good  works,  but  to  the  evil. 
For  lie  is  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for  good."     (Rom.  xiii.  1-4.) 

Notes. 

"As  far  as  it  respects  civil  affairs,  we  believe  it  the 
duty  of  Christians,  and  especially  all  Christian  minis- 
ters, to  be  subject  to  the  supreme  authority  of  the 
country  where  they  may  reside,  and  to  use  all  lauda- 
ble means  to  enjoin  obedience  to  the  powers  that  be; 
and,  therefore,  it  is  expected  that  all  our  preachers 
and  people,  who  may  be  under  any  foreign  govern 
ment,  will  behave  themselves  as  peaceable  and  order- 
ly subjects." — Note  of  the  Discipline. 

The  above  Article  was  drawn  up  at  the  Conference 
in  1784,  when  the  Church  was  organized,  and  incor- 
porated in  the  body  of  the  Articles  in  1786,  when  the 
next  edition  of  the  Discipline  was  printed.  The  ex- 
planatory note  was  appended  in  1820. 

XXIV.  Of  Christian  Men's  Goods. 

The  riches  and  goods  of  Christians  are  not  common 
as  touching  the  right,  title,  and  possession  of  the  same, 
as  some  do  falsely  boast.  Notwithstanding,  every  man 
ought  of  such  things  as  he  possesseth  liberally  to  give 
alms  to  the  poor,  according  to  his  ability. 

Proofs.— " Thou  shalt  not  steal."  (Ex.  xx.  15.)  Stealing  im- 
plies ownership  of  property.     "Give  to  him  that  asketk  thee,  and 


Articles  of  Religion.  53 

from  him  that  would  borrow  of  thee  turn  not  thou  i  way.  (Matt. 
v.  42.)  Giving  and  lending  necessarily  imply  the  personal  owner- 
ship of  property.  "But  whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his 
brother  hath  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from 
him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him?"     (1  John  iii.  17.) 

Notes. 

1.  This  Article  was  drawn  up  to  counteract  the 
teachings  of  the  Anabaptists,  who,  soon  after  the  Lu- 
theran Reformation,  preached  "  that  all  things  ought 
to  be  common  among  the  faithful." 

2.  The  instance  of  community  of  goods  mentioned 
in  Acts  ii.  44  was  not  such  as  modern  communists  ad  • 
vocate.  That  of  the  early  Christians  was  voluntary, 
local,  and  temporary.  There  was  no  forcible  division 
of  property.  Peter  said  to  Ananias,  "While  it  re- 
mained, was  it  not  thine  own?  and  after  it  was  sold, 
was  it  not  in  thine  own  power?  " — all  of  which  shows 
that  the  common  fund  for  benevolent  purposes  was 
made  up  by  voluntary  contributions.  Besides,  this 
instance  was  not  general,  but  confined  to  the  church  at 
Jerusalem.  No  mention  is  made  of  any  similar  ar- 
rangement in  the  further  history  of  the  Church. 

XXV.  Or  a  Christian  Man's  Oath. 
As  we  confess  that  vain  and  rash  swearing  is  for- 
bidden Christian  men  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
James  his  apostle,  so  we  judge  that  the  Christian  re- 
ligion doth  not  prohibit  but  that  a  man  may  swear 
when  the  magistrate  requireth,  in  a  cause  of  faith  and 
charity,  so  it  be  done  according  to  the  prophet's  teach- 
ing, in  justice,  judgment,  and  truth. 

Proofs. — "And  thou  shall  swear,  The  Lord  livetli,  in  truth,  in 
indgment,  and  in  righteousness."  (Jer.  iv.  2.)  "Men  verily  sweat 
by  the  greater:  and  an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to  tliem  an  end  »>' 


54  The  Methodist  Armor. 

all  strife."  (Heb.  vi.  16.)  "And  Jonathan  caused  David  to  swear 
again."  (1  Sam.  xx.  17.)  "  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul." 
(2  Cor.  i.  23.) 

Note. 
Judicial  oaths  are  believed  to  be  lawful  by  all  Chris- 
tians, except  the  Anabaptists,  who  flourished  about 
the  time  this  Article  was  originally  drawn  up,  and  the 
Quakers,  and  some  minor  sects.  "  Though  it  be  said 
we  shall  not  swear,  yet  I  do  not  remember  it  is  any- 
where read  that  we  should  not  receive  or  take  an  oath 
from  another." — St.  Augustine. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

HIE  GENERAL  RULES  WITH  SCRIPTURE  QUOTATIONS 
AND  NOTES. 

These  Rules  may  b6  divided  into  three  classes: 

1.  Those  forbidding  the  doing  of  evil. 

2.  Those  enjoining  the  doing  of  good. 

3.  Those  enforcing  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace. 
These  Rules  have  become  a  part  of  the  constitutional 

law  of  our  Church,  and  are  in  perfect  harmony  with 
the  Scriptures,  being  mainly  apostolic  rules  of  prac- 
tical Christianity.  And  being  such,  no  person  is  to  V>e 
received  into  the  Church  who  is  unwilling  to  observe 
them.  It  i*s  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  these  Rules 
contain  no  doctrinal  statements,  but  only  the  funda- 
mental principles  relating  to  practical  godliness. 

These  Rules  are  here  arranged,  classified,  and  num- 
bered with  the  Bible  proofs  on  which  they  are  founded. 
It  will  be  seen  that  there  is  not  one  Rule  which  is  net 
based  on  Bible  truth. 

There  is  only  one  condition  previously  required  of 


General  Rules.  55 

those  who  desire  admission  into  these  societies,  a  "  de- 
sire to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  be  saved 
from  their  sins."  But  wherever  this  is  really  fixed  in 
the  soul,  it  will  be  shown  by  its  fruits.  It  is  therefore 
expected  of  all  who  continue  therein,  that  they  should 
continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation  by  ob- 
serving the  following  Bules : 

The  Evils  and  Sins  to  be  Avoided. 
Rule  1.  By  doing  no  harm,  by  avoiding  evil  of  ever} 
kind,  especially  that  which  is  most  generally  practiced. 

Bible. — "Abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil."  (1  Thess.  v.  22.) 
"  Be  ye  therefore  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves."  (Matt. 
x.  16.)  "Abhor  that  which  is  evil ;  cleave  to  that  which  is  good." 
(Rom.  xii.  9.) 

Note. 

"Avoiding  evil."  You  must  keep  at  a  distance  from 
evil;  go  wide  of  it,  and  thus  escape  its  snaring  temp- 
tation. "Go  not  in  the  way  of  evil  men.  Avoid  it; 
pass  not  by  it;  turn  from  it."  "Stand  in  awe,  and  sin 
not."  "  Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temp- 
tation." Carry  not  sparks  of  fire  into  a  magazine  of 
gunpowder.  Sleep  not  on  the  giddy  height  of  seduc- 
tive enticement.  Pass  not  through  a  field,  though  it 
be  decked  with  blooming  flowers,  where  poisonous 
adders  lurk.  Let  the  beauty  of  harmlessness  deck  thy 
whole  life  as  flowers  deck  the  garden. 

Rule  2.  (Must  avoid)  The  taking  of  the  name  of  God 
id  vain, 

Bible. — "  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
rain;  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name 
in  vain."     (Ex.  xx.  7.) 

Note. 
"  Irreverence  for  sacred  things;  playing  the  animal 


56  The  Methodist  Armor. 

with  sanctities;  the  degradation  of  that  which  is  higher 
than  ordinary  life,  and  which  should  lead  men  up  from 
the  lower  depths  of  experience — that  is  as  accursed  as 
it  would  be  to  go  through  a  gallery  of  art  and  slime 
the  noblest  paintings  with  mud,  and  deface  or  destroy 
the  most  magnificent  marbles.  No  man  would  permit 
that.  The  whole  world  would  cry  out  against  the  des- 
ecration of  beauty  in  art  under  such  circumstances. 
But  men  think  themselves  justified  in  drawing  down 
the  sanctities  of  heaven — those  thoughts  and  feelings 
which  have  in  them  inspiration  and  elevation — and  de- 
filing them;  and  yet,  here  stands  this  commandment 
which  covers  the  whole  ground  of  vulgarizing  things 
that  are  high,  and  that  are  necessary  to  lift  men  up 
from  low  associations.  '  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name 
of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain '  includes  the  whole  lati- 
itude  and  longitude  of  the  realm  of  thought  and  feel- 
ing in  which  there  is  the  desecration  of  whatever  is 
sacred." 

Rule  3.  (Must  avoid)  The  profaning  the  day  of  the 
Lord,  either  by  doing  ordinary  work  therein,  or  by 
buying  or  selling. 

Bible. — "  Remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days 
shalt  thou  labor  and  do  all  thy  work  ;  but  the  seventh  day  is  the 
Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God  ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work, 
thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  nor  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy 
maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is  within  thy 
gates ;  .  .  .  .  wherefore,  the  Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath-day  and  hal- 
lowed it."     (Ex.  xx.  8-11.) 

Note. 

Keep  the  Sabbaths  holy,  and  they  will  be  to  you 

as  green  and  refreshing  oases  blooming  in  the  desert 

of  your  earthly  pilgrimage.     Our  Sabbaths  should  be 

hills  of  light  and  joy  in  God's  presence;  and  so,  as 


General  Rules.  57 

time  rolls  on,  we  shall  go  on  from  mountain-top  to 
mountain-top,  till  at  last  we  catch  the  glory  of  the 
shining  gate,  and  enter  into  the  eternal  Sabbath  of 
perfect  rest  and  joy.  Let  the  Sabbath  be  a  day  of 
sweet  rest  and  warm  devotion;  and  the  sacred  influ- 
ences generated  by  attendance  on  public  worship  will 
be  as  a  river  flowing  down  through  the  secular  days  of 
the  week,  spreading  freshness  and  fertility  along  its 
course.  A  world  without  a  Sabbath  is  a  summer 
without  its  green  lap  full  of  flowers  and  fruits. 

Eule  4.  (Must  avoid)  Drunkenness,  or  drinking  spir 
ituous  liquors  unless  in  cases  of  necessity. 

Bible. — "  Be  not  among  wine-bibbers  ;  for  tbe  drunkard  and  glut- 
ton shall  come  to  poverty."  (Prov.  xxxiii.  20.)  "Wine  is  a  mock- 
er, strong  drink  is  raging ;  whosoever  is  deceived  thereby  is  not 
wise.  Look  not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red%.  .  .  at  the  last 
it  biteth  like  a  serpent  and  stingeth  like  an  adder."  (Prov.  xxxiii. 
31.)  "Woe  to  him  that  giveth  his  neighbor  drink,  that  putteth  thy 
bottle  to  him,  and  maketh  him  drunk."     (Hab.  ii.  5.) 

Notes. 

1.  There  are  two  kinds  of  wine  mentioned  in  the 
Bible — one,  which  makes  men  drunk,  is  condemned 
everywhere;  the  other,  meaning  sweet  wine,  not  in- 
toxicating, is  spoken  of  as  a  blessing.  Keeping  this 
fact  in  view  it  will  not  be  hard  to  reconcile  the  seem- 
ing contradiction  in  the  Bible  where  wine  is  some- 
times condemned,  and  then  again  commended. 

2.  The  new  rule  in  the  Discipline,  enacted  1882,  re- 
quires our  "  members  to  abstain  from  the  manufacture 
and  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage."  It 
will  be  seen  that  the  Methodist  Church  is  squarely 
opposed  to  intemperance.  It  is  a  total  abstinence 
Church.     The  making  or  selling  liqvnr  as  a  beverage 


58  The  Methodist  Armor. 

is  classed  with  the  sin  of  drunkenness.  There  is  good 
reason  for  it.  The  making  and  selling  have  a  close 
connection  with  the  evils  of  intemperance.  The  or- 
igin is  in  making  and  selling.  The  still-houses  make 
the  poison;  the  grog-shops  distribute  it  broadly  over 
the  land.  The  first  is  the  deadly  fountain,  the  latter 
is  the  channel  circulating  the  liquid  poison.  The  pro- 
duction and  circulation  of  liquor  is  closely  connected. 
The  distillers  are  busy  in  loading  the  Satanic  battery; 
the  retail  and  wholesale  dealers  are  busy  in  firing  it  off. 
The  consequence  is  the  battle-field  of  life  runs  red 
with  the  blood  of  the  slain.  Every  still  and  grog-shop 
is  a  battery  of  death.  Think  of  the  appalling  number 
of  them!  There  are  in  the  United  States  eight  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  two  distilleries  and  breweries 
(this  is  according  to  official  report),  and  two  hundred 
thousand  grog-shops  and  liquor-saloons !  And  these  bat- 
teries, under  the  generalship  of  Satan,  loaded  and  fired 
day  and  night  the  year  round,  pouring  bursting  bombs, 
grape-shot,  and  other  missiles  of  death  into  the  ranks  of 
our  people,  what  wide-spread  destruction  is  wrought! 

The  Cost  of  Intemperance. — The  Presbyterian  Review 
gives  the  following  statistics  for  the  United  States: 
"Paid  to  all  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  $12,000,000,' 
support  of  criminals,  $12,000,000;  fees  of  litigation, 
$35,000,000;  importation  of  liquor,  $50,000,000;  sup- 
port of  grog-shops,  $1,500,000,000.  Whole  cost  of  liq- 
uor, $12,200,000,000." 

Pule  5.  (Must  avoid)  Fighting,  quarreling,  brawl- 
ing, brother  going  to  law  with  brother;  returning  evil 
fov  evil,  or  railing  for  railing;  the  using  many  words 
in  buying  or  selling. 

Bible. — "From  whence  come  wars*  at-rl  fightings  among  you? 


General  Rules.  59 

Come  they  not  hence,  even  of  your  lusts  that  war  in  your  members  ?" 
(James  iv.  1.)  "  The  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are 
these :  hatred,  variance,  emulations,  strife,  seditions,  heresies."  (Gal. 
v.  19.)  "  Dare  any  of  you,  ln.ving  a  matter  against  another,  go  to 
the  law  before  the  unjust  and  not  before  the  saints  ?"  (1  Cor.  vi. 
1-6.)  "Not  rendering  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing,  but  con- 
trariwise blessing."  (1  Pet.  iii.  9.)  "Let  your  conversation  be 
without  covetousness."  (Heb.  xiii.  5.)  "  Let  your  yea  be  yea,  and' 
your  nay,  nay,  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation."     (James  v.  12.) 

Notes. 

1.  "  Of  all  things  which  are  to  be  met  with  here  on 
earth  there  is  nothing  which  can  give  such  continual, 
such  cutting,  such  useless  pain  as  an  undisciplined 
temper.  The  touchy  and  sensitive  temper,  which 
takes  offense  at  a  word;  the  irritable  temper,  which 
finds  offense  in  every  thing,  Avhether  intended  or  not; 
the  violent  temper,  which  breaks  through  all  bounds 
of  reason  when  once  roused ;  the  jealous  or  sullen  tem- 
per, which  wears  a  cloud  on  the  face  all  day,  and  never 
utters  a  word  of  complaint;  the  discontented  temper, 
brooding  over  its  own  wrongs;  the  severe  temper, 
which  always  looks  at  the  worst  side  of  whatever  is 
done;  the  willful  temper,  which  overrides  every  scru-. 
pie  to  gratify  a  whim — what  an  amount  of  pain  have 
these  caused  in  the  hearts  of  men,  if  we  could  but  sum 
up  their  results !  How  many  a  soul  have  they  stirred 
to  evil  impulses;  how  many  a  prayer  have  they  stifled; 
how  many  an  emotion  of  true  affection  have  they 
turned  to  bitterness!  How  hard  they  make  all  duties! 
How  they  kill  the  sweetest  and  warmest  of  domestic 
charities!  Ill-temper  is  a  sin  requiring  long  and  care- 
ful discipline." — Bishop  Temple 

2.  A  quarrel  is  stopped  by  letting  the  angry  person 
have  all   the  quarrel  to  himself.     A  soft  answer  will 


60  The  Methodist  Armor. 

extinguish  a  quarrel  as  water  fire.  Turn  away  from  a 
querulous  man  as  you  would  from  the  path  of  a  roaring 
lion  When  men  carry  magazines  of  powder  in  their 
temper,  better  not  let  the  spark  of  your  anger  fall  upon 
them.  It  is  too  late  to  avoid  disaster  when  the  explo- 
sion takes  place.  Nothing  can  prevent  red  ruin  then. 
You  must  guard  beforehand,  or  not  at  all.  Watch  and 
pray. 

Rule  6.  (Must  avoid)  The  buying  or  selling  gooda 
that  have  not  paid  the  duty. 

Bib].e. — "Provide  things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men."  (Rom. 
xii.  17.)  "Render  therefore  unto  Caesar  the  things  which  are  Cae- 
sar's." (Matt.  xxii.  21.)  "Render  therefore  to  all  their  dues." 
(Rom.  xiii.  7.) 

Note. 

To  smuggle  goods  into  a  country  in  violation  of  the 
revenue  laws  of  the  Government  is  the  sin  forbidden 
by  this  rule.  To  buy  or  sell  goods  known  to  be  con- 
traband is  considered  lawless  robbery.  This  Rule 
condemns  also  the  practice  of  cheating  the  Govern- 
ment of  its  just  taxes,  or  revenues  laid  on  the  manu- 
facture of  liquors  or  tobacco,  or  any  other  article. 
Religion  requires  men  to  be  as  just  to  governments  as 
they  are  to  individuals.  As  the  Government  gives  us 
the  protection  of  liberty,  life,  property,  and  the  pur- 
suit of  happiness,  every  man  should  obey  its  laws  and 
cheerfully  pay  the  taxes  and  revenues  demanded. 

Rule  7.  (Must  avoid)  The  giving  or  taking  things 
on  usury,  i.  e.,  unlawful  interest. 

Bible.— "Lord,  who  shall  abide  in  thy  tabernacle?  Who  shall 
dwell  in  thy  holy  hill?  He  that  putteth  not  his  money  to  usury, 
nor  taketh  reward  against  the  innocent."  (Ps.  xv.  1-5.)  "That  no 
man  go  bevnnd  and  defraud  bis  brother."     (1  T'  ess.  iv.  6.1 


General  links.  61 

Note. 

The  Hebrew  word  for  usury  means  exorbitant  in- 
terest. It  means  greediness,  sharpness,  rapacity, 
which  takes  advantage  of  the  oppressed.  The  prac- 
tice forbidden  is  receiving  more  for  the  loan  of  money 
than  it  is  really  worth,  and  more  than  the  law  allows. 

Rule  8.  (Must  avoid)  Uncharitable  or  unprofitable 
conversation,  particularly  speaking  evil  of  magistrates 
or  of  ministers. 

Bible. — "  Let  all  clamor  and  evil-speaking  be  put  away  from  you, 
with  all  malice."  (Eph.  iv.  31.)  "  Every  idle  word  that  men  speak, 
they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment."  (Matt.  xii. 
36.)  "Let  no  corrupt  communication  proceed  out  of  your  mouth." 
(Eph.  iv.  29.)  "  Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and 
powers,  to  obey  magistrates  ...  to  speak  evil  of  no  man."  (Titus 
iii.  1,  2.) 

Notes. 
Reasons  for  observing  this  Rule  are: 

1.  It  prevents  much  evil.  "  The  tongue  is  a  fire, 
a  world  of  iniquity,"  when  not  governed.  Like  a 
swollen  river  whose  embankments  have  given  way, 
it  spreads  destruction  through  the  country.  "  It  is 
set  on  fire  of  hell,"  says  the  apostle.  The  Indians  in 
the  West  sometimes  set  the  dry  grass  afire,  and  it 
spreads  and  roars.  The  smoke  darkens  the  sun.  The 
running  flame,  caught  up  and  fanned  by  the  wind, 
circles  far  and  wide,  towering  up  almost  mountain- 
high.  rMan  and  beast  have  to  flee  for  their  lives.  It 
is  a  world  of  fire  coming  from  a  spark.  So  unruly 
tongues  set  whole  neighborhoods  to  burn  and  flame 
with  evils. 

2.  The  practice  of  tale-bearing  is  disgraceful.  To 
be  known  as  a  tale-bearer,  a  tattler,  a  gossip,  a  busy- 
body in  everybody's  business,  a  backbiter,  how  mean 


C2  The  Methodist  Armor. 

and  low!  A  backbiter  reminds  one  of  a  sneaking 
dog  that  makes  the  attack  when  your  face  is  turned 
the  other  way.  Backbiting  is  a  doggish  trick.  It 
is  said  of  Domitian  that  he,  though  a  Roman  emperor, 
"  employed  his  leisure  hours  in  catching  and  torment- 
ing flies."  Such  work  showed  meanness  and  cruelty 
combined.  And  how  much  better  are  you  employed 
in  catching  up  and  exposing  all  the  little  dirty  ru- 
mors that  buzz  through  your  neighborhood? 

3.  It  is  a  violation  of  the  Golden  Rule:  "Whatso- 
ever ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even 
so  to  them."  Do  you  wish  men  to  speak  well  of  you 
behind  your  back?  Yes,  of  course  you  do.  Then 
speak  well  of  your  neighbors.  Dr.  South  said  that 
the  tale-bearer  and  listener  ought  both  to  be  hanged — 
one  by  the  tongue,  the  other  by  the  ear. 

Rule  9.  (Must  avoid)  Doing  to  others  as  we  would 
not  they  should  do  unto  us. 

Bible. — "Therefore  all  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them :  for  this  is  the  law  and  the 
prophets."     (Matt.  vii.  12.) 

Note. 

Whatsoever  is  disagreeable  to  thyself  do  not  to  thy 
neighbor.  Treat  your  neighbor  as  you  would  have 
him  treat  you.  Regard  him  as  your  other  self.  Make 
his  case  your  own,  put  yourself  into  his  place;  divest 
yourself  of  that  selfishness  which  would  injure  an- 
other. Every  man  desires  to  be  esteemed  as  his  merit 
deserves — desires  his  neighbor  to  be  tender  with  his 
reputation,  not  to  slander  his  good  name,  not  to  put 
harsh  construction  on  his  conduct,  to  be  kindly  dis- 
posed toward  him,  to  deal  justly,  honestly,  truthfully 
candidly  with  him,  to  be  faithful  as  a  friend  and  po- 


General  Bides.  63 

lite  and  honorable  as  an  acquaintance;  and  as  you 
desire  such  treatment  from  others,  be  sure  to  give  it 
to  them.  "As  you  would  that  men  should  do  to  you, 
do  ye  even  so  to  them."  How  ennobling  and  beau- 
tiful the  observance  of  this  Golden  Eule  would  make 
the  characters  of  men ! 

Kule  10.  (Must  avoid)  Doing  what  we  know  is  not 
for  the  glory  of  God;  as  the  putting  on  of  gold  and 
costly  apparel. 

Bible. — "Whose  adorning,  let  it  not  be  that  outward  adorning 
of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold  or  of  putting  on  of  ap- 
parel." (1  Pet.  iii.  3.)  "I  will  .  .  .  that  women  adorn  themselves 
in  modest  apparel,  ....  not  with  braided  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls, 
or  costly  array."     (1  Tim.  ii.  8,  9.) 

Note. 
This  Eule  forbids  needless  extravagance  in  dress,  and 
useless  and  showy  ornaments.  The  taste  for  the  beautiful 
must  be  carefully  limited  by  economical  and  religious 
considerations.  The  text  quoted  in  support  of  the  Eule 
is  a  standing  rebuke  to  all  ostentation  in  dress,  and 
reminds  every  Christian  woman  that  nothing  can  so 
adorn  a  woman  as  a  beautiful  character,  fruitful  of 
good  works.  Paul  rebuked  this  extravagance  of  dress 
in  his  day,  and  it  needs  to  be  rebuked  in  our  day, 
when  we  read  that  a  certain  woman  wore  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  diamonds  on  her  dress 
while  attending  a  charity  ball.  It  is  sad  to  see  wom- 
en thinking  more  of  the  glittering  trinkets  than  a 
crown  of  glory.  You  may  pamper  and  adorn  the 
body  with  the  flashing  blaze  of  a  thousand  diamonds, 
yet  remember  that  this  beautiful  form,  stripped  of  its 
glittering  jewelry,  will  be  wrapped  in  a  death-shroud, 
nailed  up  in  a  coffin,  and  become  fcxl  for  worms. 


C4  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Hale  11.  (Must  avoid)  The  taking  such  diversions 
as  cannot  be  used  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Bible. — "  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  sep 
arate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will 
receive  you,  and  will  be  a  father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons 
and  daughters."  (2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18.)  "Be  not  conformed  to  this 
world."  (Kom.  xii.  2.)  "Know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of  the 
world  is  enmity  with  God."     (James  iv.  4.) 

Note. 

"Diversions"  include  those  popular  amusements, 
such  as  dancing,  theaters,  circuses,  etc.,  which  divert 
or  tarn  the  heart  away  from  God  to  be  fascinated  by 
worldly  things.  Our  Bishops  explain  the  above  Eule 
as  forbidding  indulgence  in  the  modern  dance,  and 
attending  circuses  and  theaters. 

Dancing. — The  Church  stands  squarely  and  firmly 
opposed  to  the  modern  dance.  Even  the  Eoman  Cath- 
olic Church  says:  "We  consider  it  to  be  our  duty  to 
warn  our  people  against  the  fashionable  dances,  which 
are  revolting  to  every  feeling  of  delicacy,  and  fraught 
with  the  greatest  danger  to  morals."  Bishop  Hop- 
kins, of  the  Episcopal  Church,  says:  "I  have  shown 
that  dancing  is  chargeable  with  waste  of  time,  the  in- 
tei  ruption  of  useful  study,  the  indulgence  of  personal 
vanity,  and  the  premature  incitement  of  the  passions." 
Dr.  Bobinson,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  says:  "It 
is  simply  impossible  that  this  question  of  indulgence 
in  such  worldly  pleasures  as  the  theater,  the  masquer- 
ade, the  card-table,  and  the  dance,  can  be  a  doubtful 
or  a  debatable  question."  It  is  well  known  that  most 
of  the  Baptist  Churches  expel  their  members  for  the 
continued  indulgence  of  dancing.  ■  So  we  see  that  all 


General  Rules.  05 

these  Churches  stand  side  by  side  with  the  Methodist 
Church  in  opposition  to  dancing. 

Its  practice  lends  to  ruin  the  virtue  of  woman.  A  New 
York  paper  says:  u Three -fourths  of  the  abandoned 
girls  of  this  city  were  ruined  by  dancing.  Young 
ladies  allow  gentlemen  privileges  in  dancing  which,  ' 
taken  under  any  other  circumstances,  would  be  con- 
sidered improper.  It  requires  neither  brains  nor  good 
morals  to  be  a  good  dancer.  As  the  love  of  dancing 
increases  the  love  of  religion  decreases.  Parlor  danc- 
ing is  dangerous.  Tippling  leads  to  drunkenness,  and 
parlor  dancing  leads  to  ungodly  balls.  Tippling  and 
parlor  dancing  sow  to  winds,  and  both  reap  the  whirl- 
wind. Put  dancing  in  the  crucible,  apply  the  acids, 
weigh  it,  and  the  verdict  of  reason,  morality,  and  re- 
ligion is,  "Weighed  in  the  balance  and  found  want- 
ing." 

Its  practice  destroys  the  Christian's  influence.  "  But 
the  wreck  of  Christian  influence  will  be  as  complete 
as  that  of  character.  What  good  can  a  member  of 
the  Church,  who  is  a  participator  in  social  dances 
and  a  frequenter  of  balls,  do?  Is  he  disposed  to  ex- 
hort, or  pray,  or  sing,  who  will  be  disposed  to  hear 
him?  Can  the  Spirit  of  God  accompany  his  mes- 
sage? Will  the  wicked  feel  its  power?  Will  not  re- 
ligion seem  to  them  a  mockery  when  presented,  if 
ever  such  should  be  the  case,  by  such  an  advocate? 
It  cannot  be  otherwise.  Says  Dr.  Wilson,  in  a  ser- 
mon to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  and  we  wish  es- 
pecially to  call  the  attention  of  Christian  young  ladies 
to  it:  'I  cannot  well  imagine  a  more  speedy  method  of 
teaching  a  careless  young  man  to  despise  the  Chris- 
tian name,  than  for  some  female  acquaintance  whom 


GO  The  Methodist  Armor. 

he  lias  seen  at  the  communion-table  to  become  his 
partner  in  the  dance.  Nor  is  any  thing  probably  more 
usual  in  such  a  case  than  for  those  who  look  on  qui- 
etly to  pass  the  ungracious  whisper,  "  See  that  pious 
dancer'  why,  she  waltzes  as  if  she  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  it.  She  seems  to  love  it  as  much  as  any  of 
us  poor  sinners.  A  pretty  Christian,  to  be  sure."  This 
is  no  fancy  sketch;  they  know  little  of  the  world  who 
suppose  it  to  be  so;  for  that  which  Cicero  did  not  hes- 
itate to  call  omnium  vitiorum  extremum,  "a  vice  that  no 
one  would  be  guilty  of  till  he  had  utterly  abandoned 
all  virtue,"  and  umhram  luxuries,  or  that  which  "fol- 
lows riot  and  debauchery  as  the  shade  follows  the 
body,"  I  take  it  is  now,  in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  well  understood  by  unconverted  men  not  to 
consist  with  what  ought  reasonably  to  be  looked  for 
in  the  genuine  Christian  character.' " — Bishop  Clark. 

Theaters  and  Circuses.  Much  of  the  argument 
against  dancing  bears  equally  strong  against  theaters 
and  circuses.  Plato  said,  "Public  theaters  are  dan- 
gerous to  morality;"  Aristotle,  "They  should  be  en- 
tirely forbidden  to  young  people  as  unsafe;"  Ovid, 
that  they  were  "  a  grand  source  of  corruption."  Arch- 
bishop Tillotson  found  them  in  England  to  be  "  a  nurs- 
ery of  vice,"  and  called  them  "  the  devil's  chapel."  To 
the  theater,  the  ball,  the  circus,  the  race-course,  the 
gambling  -  table,  go  all  the  idle,  the  dissipated,  the 
rogues,  the  licentious,  the  gluttons,  the  artful  jades, 
the  immodest  prudes,  the  worthless,  the  refuse,  the 
very  atmosphere  of  whose  associatioi  is  defiling  and 
corrupting.  The  whole  influence  of  such  people  is  to 
destroy  the  good  morals  of  the  country.  They  breed 
corruption  as  naturally  as  putrefying  carcasses  breed 


General  Bides.  67 

vermin,  and  fatten  on  the  corruption  which  they  pro- 
duce. Yet  people  call  these  things  "  innocent  amuse- 
ments;" but  hell  is  populated  with  their  victims.  The 
managers  of  these  amusements  are  the  devil's  recruit- 
ing officers,  whose  business  is  to  strew  the  way  to  hell 
with  flowers,  charm  it  with  music,  and  deck  it  with 
gorgeous  pictures. 

Rule  12.  (Must  avoid)  The  singing  those  songs  or 
reading  those  books  which  do  not  tend  to  the  knowl- 
edge or  love  of  God. 

Bible. — "Be  not  deceived:  evil  communications  corrupt  good 
manners."  (1  Cor.  xv.  33.)  "  Speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making  melody  in  your  hearts 
to  the  Lord."  (Eph.  v.  19.)  "  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  ex- 
cellency of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord."     (Phil.  iii.  8.) 

Note. 
The  evils  of  corrupt  literature  are  very  great.  Dr. 
Talmage  says:  "The  assassin  of  Sir  William  Russell 
declared  that  he  got  the  inspiration  for  his  crime  by 
reading  what  was  then  a  new  and  popular  novel,  'Jack 
Sheppard.'  Homer's  Iliad  made  Alexander  the  war- 
rior. Alexander  said  so.  The  story  of  Alexander 
made  Julius  Caesar  and  Charles  XII.  both  men  of 
blood.  Have  you  in  your  pocket,  or  in  your  trunk, 
or  in  your  desk  at  business,  a  bad  book,  a  bad  picture, 
a  bad  pamphlet?  In  God's  name  I  warn  you  to  de- 
stroy it.  "Why  are  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  criminals  in 
the  jails  and  penitentiaries  of  the  United  States  to- 
day under  twenty-one  years  of  age — many  of  them 
under  seventeen,  under  sixteen,  under  fifteen,  under 
fourteen,  under  thirteen?  Walk  along  the  corridors 
of  the  Tombs  prison  in  New  York  and  look  for  your- 
selves.    Bad  books,  bad  newspapers,  bewitched  them 


68  The  Methodist  Armor. 

as  soon  as  they  got  out  of  the  cradle.  Beware  of  all 
those  stories  which  end  wrong.  Beware  of  all  those 
books  which  make  the  road  that  ends  in  perdition 
seem  to  end  in  paradise.  Do  not  glorify  the  dirk  and 
the  pistol.  Do  not  call  the  desperado  brave,  or  the 
libertine  gallant.  Teach  our  young  people  that  if 
they  go  down  into  the  swamps  and  marshes  to  watch 
their  jacks-with-a-lantern  dance  on  decay  and  rotten- 
ness, they  will  catch  malaria  and  death.  '  O,'  says 
some  man,  '  I  am  a  business  man,  and  I  have  no  time 
to  examine  what  my  children  read;  I  have  no  time  to 
inspect  the  books  that  come  into  my  household.'  If 
your  children  were  threatened  with  typhoid  fever, 
would  you  have  time  to  go  for  the  doctor?  " 

Rule  13.  (Must  avoid)  Softness,  or  needless  self- 
indulgence. 

Bible. — "  Then  said  Jesus  unto  his  disciples,  If  any  man  would 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  fol- 
low me."     (Matt.  xvi.  24.) 

Note. 

Self-denial  is  reasonable.  The  men  of  the  world 
practice  it  when  seeking  earthly  things.  Even  the 
brutal  prize-fighter  will  deny  himself  of  all  effeminate 
pleasures  when  being  trained  for  a  pugilistic  combat, 
or  a  foot-race.  Military  men  submit  to  all  sorts  of 
self-denial  to  win  the  fading  laurels  of  earth.  "  Now 
they  do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown,  but  we  an 
incorruptible." 

These  illustrations  are  enough,  I  think,  to  satisfy 
you  that  the  principle  of  self-denial  and  of  self-con- 
trol not  only  is  not  impossible  to  human  nature,  but 
is  one  of  the  commonest,  one  of  the  most  universal 
principles  in  exorcise,  and  that  when  the  Christian 


General  Rales.  G9 

leligion  introduces  self-denial,  symbolizing  it  by  the 
cross,  it  does  not  introduce  a  new  principle,  and  does 
not  introduce  a  difficult  one.  If  no  man  is  worthy  to 
be  a  disciple  of  Christ  unless  he  take  up  his  cross, 
and  deny  himself,  and  follow  the  Saviour,  he  is  only 
saying  in  regard  to  himself,  and  to  the  world  eternal, 
what  this  world  says  in  regard  to  every  man  that  fol- 
lows it.  There  is  no  trade  that  does  not  say  to  every 
applicant  that  comes  to  it,  "  If  you  will  take  up  your 
cross  and  follow  me,  you  shall  have  my  remunera- 
tion." There  is  no  profession  that  does  not  say  to 
every  applicant,  "  If  you  will  take  up  your  cross,  and 
follow  me,  I  will  reward  you."  There  is  no  pleasure, 
there  is  no  ambition,  there  is  no  cause  that  men  pur- 
sue, from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  in  the  horizon  of 
secular  things,  that  does  not  say  to  every  man,  "  Unless 
you  take  up  your  cross  and  follow  me,  you  shall  have 
none  of  me."  Now,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  standing 
like  the  angel  in  the  sun,  with  the  eternal  world  for  a 
background,  clothed  in  garments  white  as  snow,  as  no 
fuller  on  earth  could  white  them,  and  calling  us  to 
honor  and  glory  and  immortality,  says  only  in  behalf 
of  these  higher  things  what  the  whole  world  says  of 
its  poor,  groveling,  and  miserable  things:  "Take  up 
your  cross,  and  follow  me." 

Eulel4.  (Must  avoid)  Laying  up  treasure  upon  earth. 

Bible. — "  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth  where 
moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and 
steal;  but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither 
moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through 
nor  steal ;  for  where  your  treasure  is  there  will  your  heart  be  also." 
(Matt.  vi.  19-21.) 

Note. 
"  Hoarding  for  one's  self  accompanies  poverty  toward 


70  The  Methodist  Armor. 

God.  Not  all  accumulation  is  condenmable;  Joseph 
accumulated,  but  for  others,  not  for  himself.  Not  all 
desire  for  wealth  is  condemnable;  but  the  desire  for 
wealth  above  my  neighbor;  the  eager,  insatiable  de- 
sire; the  selfish,  dishonest  desire;  the  desire  which 
puts  wealth  above  honesty,  benevolence,  piety. 

"  This  is  illustrated  by  the  story  of  King  Midas.  To 
him  was  given  the  magic  power  that  every  thing  he 
touched  should  turn  to  gold.  It  proved  a  fatal  gift. 
The  flowers  lost  their  fragrance  and  bloom,  and  be- 
came golden;  the  food  turned  to  metal  when  it  touched 
his  lips,  and  left  him  to  hunger;  finally  his  daughter 
turned  to  a  statue  of  gold  when  she  ran  to  kiss  him, 
and  the  poor  king  cried  to  be  rescued  from  the  horri- 
ble gift  which  he  had  besought.  A  glass  of  water,  a 
crust  of  bread,  a  fragrant  rose,  above  all  a  loving  heart,  he 
discovered  to  be  worth  more  than  all  golden  treasures." 

The  spirit  of  the  Rule  would  be  met  if  men  bestowed 
their  charities  while  living. 

"  Let  men  be  the  living  executors  of  their  benevo- 
lence. Not  a  few  are  beginning  to  do  this.  Mr.  Vas- 
sar,  of  Poughkeepsie,  while  living,  built  and  saw  in 
operation  a  very  noble  monument  of  his  benevolence. 
He  lived  to  enjoy  it.  Peter  Cooper  lived  beyond  a 
score  of  years  to  have  the  enjoyment  of  a  wisely  dis- 
posed charity  from  out  of  his  large  property.  Late  in 
life,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  founded  and  organized  the  Uni- 
versity at  Nashville,  which  is  open  and  in  full  pros- 
perity. Mr.  Durant  has  built  the  great  college  for 
women  at  Wellesley,  in  Massachusetts,  and  he  lives  to 
see  to  it  that  his  charity  is  wisely  employed.  The  man 
who  earns  money  is  far  more  apt  to  organize  it  into  an 
institution  wisely  than  any  set  of  trustees  into  whose 


General  Hales.  71 

hands  he  can  put  it.  It  is  a  good  thing,  therefore,  for 
a  man  who  means  to  give  when  he  dies  to  consider 
that  he  is  likely  to  die  to-morrow,  and  give  to-day." 

Rule  15.  (Must  avoid)  Borrowing  without  a  proba- 
I  >i  lity  of  paying,  or  taking  up  goods  without  a  proba- 
bility  of  paying  for  them. 

Bible. — "  The  wicked  borroweth  and  payeth  not  again."  (Ps 
xxxvii.  21.)  "  Bender  unto  all  their  dues."  (Bom.  xiii.  7.)  "Owe 
no  man  any  thing.  Provide  things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men." 
(Bom.  xii.  17.) 

Note. 
The  Rule  forbids  the  incurring  of  pecuniary  obliga- 
tion when  there  is  no  reasonable  ground  for  supposing 
it  can  be  paid.  To  do  so  is  to  practice  a  cheat,  to  be 
guilty  of  fraud.  Our  people  are  to  be  taught  that  to 
borrow,  without  a  reasonable  probability  of  paying 
back,  or  to  purchase  goods  without  a  probability  of 
paying  for  them,  is  to  stand  before  the  Church  and 
their  own  conscience  convicted  of  fraud.  We  cannot 
be  too  careful  and  conscientious  in  reference  to  bor- 
rowed property,  or  buying  goods  on  slender  credit. 
Men  should  be  scrupulous  in  returning  all  borrowed 
property.  They  should  not  allow  such  property  to  be 
injured  while  in  their  possession,  nor  return  an  infe- 
rior article  for  the  one  borrowed. 

Good  Works  to  be  Done. 

It  is  expected  of  all  who  continue  in  these  societies 
that  they  should  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of 
salvation: 

Rule  1G.  By  doing  good,  by  being  in  every  kind 
merciful  after  their  power,  as  they  have  opportunity, 
doing  good  of  every  possible  sort,  and,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, to  all  men. 


72  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Bible.—"  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good."  (Ps.  xxxvh.  3.)  '  To 
do  good  and  to  communicate  forget  not."  (Heb.  iii.  16.)  "Blessed 
arc  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy."  (Matt.  v.  7.)  "To 
him  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin." 
(James  iv.  17.)  "As  we  have  opportunity,  let  us  do  good  unto  all 
men."     (Gal.  vi.  10.) 

NoTfls. 

1.  "  The  opportunities  for  doing  good  are  continu- 
ous and  occasional.  The  continuous  are  those  that 
belong  to  the  ordinary  course  and  duties  of  the  life  of 
the  individual  and  of  society;  the  occasional  are  those 
instances  of  special  emergencies  that  arise  from  time 
to  time.  And  all  these  may  be  generalized  under  the 
heads  of  the  preventive,  the  educational,  and  the  re- 
formatory agencies  of  society.  That  is,  evil  is  to  be 
prevented,  good  is  to  be  developed,  and  the  vicious  are 
to  be  reformed.  And  in  each  of  these  we  may  class 
all  the  good  agencies  of  the  world  as  workers,  such 
as  the  home,  the  school,  the  Church,  the  press,  the 
State,  and  all  benevolent  institutions,  with  all  the 
common  industries  of  life  that  go  to  sustain  each  of 
these." 

2.  Doing  Good  is  Made  a  Test  Question  in  the  Bible. — 
"The  rich  young  ruler  is  tested  by  the  command, '  Go, 
sell  that  thou  hast  and  give  to  the  poor; '  the  inquiring 
lawyer  by  the  story  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  with  the 
added  direction,  'Go,  and  do  likewise;'  Paul  by  the 
command  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  Where 
is  there  an  instance  in  the  New  Testament  in  which 
any  man  is  accepted  because  he  accepts  a  creed,  or  a 
ceremony,  or  a  covenant,  or  is  rejected  because  he  does 
not?  To  every  professing  Christian,  to  every  worship- 
ing Church,  to  every  revival  with  its  hosannas,  Christ 
2omes  seeking  if  haply  he  may  find  fruits.     The  fruit 


General  littles.  73 

of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentle- 
ness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance.  Does 
the  professing  Christian,  with  his  orthodox  creed  and 
his  water  baptism — does  the  Church,  with  its  sound 
doctrine  and  its  devout  worship;  does  the  revival,  with 
its  enthusiastic  hosannas — bear  this  kind  of  fruit? 
The  tree  that  bears  no  fruit  dies,  for  the  fruit  is  the 
seed-protector;  and  in  the  fruit  is  the  promise  of  re- 
production, and  so  the  assurance  of  immortality.  The 
unfruitful  tree  lives  only  long  enough  to  afford  a  gen- 
erous opportunity  for  it  to  answer  the  question,  '  Wilt 
thou  bring  forth  fruit?'  Leaves  cannot  save  it;  for 
leaves  do  not  reproduce  life.  The  unfruitful  profes- 
sor dies  of  his  own  unfruitfulness.  Men  sometime? 
ask,  almost  querulously,  'What  have  I  done  that  J 
should  be  condemned  to  death  ?  '  The  New  Testament 
retorts,  '  What  have  you  done  that  you  should  be  pre- 
served unto  life  eternal  ?  '  Who  is  richer,  wiser,  bet- 
ter, happier,  for  your  existence?  Why  should  any 
man  live  who  lives  to  no  useful  purpose?  Cut  him 
down;  why  cumbereth  he  the  ground?  Give  his  va- 
cant place  to  a  better  man." 

Rule  17.  (Doing  good)  To  their  bodies,  of  the  abil- 
ity which  God  giveth,  by  giving  food  to  the  hungry, 
by  clothing  the  naked,  by  visiting  or  helping  them 
that  are  sick  or  in  prison. 

Bible. — "  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right-hand, 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;  for  I  was  a  hungered,  and  ye 
gave  me  meat;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink;  I  was  a  stranger, 
and  ye  took  me  in;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me;  I  was  sick,  and  ye  vis 
itedme;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me.  .  .  .  Inasmuch  ae 
ye  have  dune  it  unto  one  of  the  hast  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  hav« 
done  it  unto  me."     (Matt.  xxv.  31-40.) 


7*  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Note. 

Christians  are  morally  obligated  to  administer  to 
the  wants  and  necessities  of  the  poor,  the  helpless,  the 
sick,  the  fatherless,  the  widow.  The  beautiful  story 
of  the  Good  Samaritan  strikingly  illustrates  the  spirit 
of  Christian  philanthropy. 

"  True  Christian  philanthropy  is  a  self-denying  serv- 
ice. The  Good  Samaritan  put  the  wounded  man  on 
his  own  beast.  He,  therefore,  had  to  walk,  was  de- 
layed in  his  journey,  ran  the  risk  of  assault  himself. 
His  benevolence  cost  him  something.  We  are  always 
trying  to  do  good  to  our  fellow-men  without  bearing 
any  burden  ourselves.  But  Christ  bore  our  burdens 
and  carried  our  sorrows;  he  took  them  on  himself. 
The  mother  carries  in  her  own  person  the  sins  and 
sorrows  of  her  children.  True  Christian  philanthropy 
takes  up  its  cross  to  follow  Christ  in  going  about  do- 
ing good.  There  is  very  little  charity  in  giving  cold 
victuals  which  you  cannot  eat,  cast-off  clothing  which 
you  cannot  wear,  old  books  for  which  you  have  no 
room  on  your  shelves,  money  which  you  will  not  miss 
from  your  purse.  The  benevolence  which  costs  noth- 
ing is  worth — what  it  costs.  The  paring  from  your 
apple  may  be  eagerly  eaten  by  the  pigs,  but  there  is 
no  charity  in  giving  it  to  them.  No  man  shows  love 
for  his  fellow-men  except  he  who  puts  himself  to  some 
inconvenience  for  their  sake. 

"  To  his  personal  service  the  Good  Samaritan  added 
a  money  contribution.  It  was  not  very  great — about 
equal  to  two  dollars  of  our  day.  But  the  giver  added 
the  pledge  that  whatever  was  necessary  he  would  pay; 
at  all  events,  he  paid  something.  To  do  good  with 
money  to  the  moneyless  is  of  all  tasks  of  benevolence 


General  Rules.  75 

the  most  difficult.  How  to  give  to  poverty  without  in- 
creasing pauperism  is  a  perpetual  and  ever  unsolved 
problem.  But  he  who  cannot  part  with  money  to  do 
good  to  others  is  no  follower  of  Him  who,  though  he 
was  rich,  for  our  sakes  became  poor.  To  give  service 
without  money,  or  to  give  money  without  service- 
neither  of  these  givings  is  true  Christian  philanthropy. 
Two  pence  personally  given  is  worth  more  than  twenty 
given  through  paid  agents.  The  love  that  reaches  the 
pocket  is  often  deeper  than  that  which  reaches  only 
the  heart. 

The  Good  Samaritan  had  compassion,  went  to  the 
sufferer,  rendered  him  personal  service,  at  cost  of  in- 
convenience to  himself,  and  accompanied  it  with  gift 
of  money."     "  Go  thou,  and  do  likewise." 

Rule  18.  (Doing  good)  To  their  souls,  by  instruct- 
ing, reproving,  or  exhorting  all  we  have  any  inter- 
course with;  trampling  under  foot  that  enthusiastic 
doctrine,  that  "we  are  not  to  do  good  unless  our  hearts 
be  free  to  it." 

Bible. — "Keprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  long-suffering  and 
doctrine."  (2  Tim.  iv.  2.)  "  Exhort  one  another  daily."  (Heb.  iii. 
13.)  "Them  that  sin  rebuke  before  all,  that  others  also  may  fear." 
(1  Tim.  v.  20.)  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  and  the  light  of  the 
world."     (Matt.  v.  13-16.) 

Notes. 

1.  As  Christians  be  Instructors. — Be  a  teacher  of  di- 
vine truths  in  the  home-circle  and  at  your  Sunday- 
school.  Let  your  light  shine.  The  candle  can  en- 
lighten the  room,  the  lamp  the  street,  the  light-house 
the  darkness  of  the  stormy  sea,  the  moon  the  night, 
the  sun  the  world.  Be  ye  a  luminous  light  in  youi 
sphere  of  life. 

2.  B&prove  Sin. — The  reproof  of  sin  is  a  Christian 


76  The  Methodist  Armor. 

duty.  When  you  see  your  neighbor  living  in  a  dan- 
gerous sin,  have  the  moral  courage  to  rebuke  him. 
Would  it  not  be  cruel  to  see  your  neighbor's  house  on 
fire,  and  pass  on  and  give  him  no  warning?  Why? 
Because  his  life  is  in  danger.  But  if  your  neighbor 
is  living  in  a  deadly  sin,  then  his  immortal  soul  is  in 
danger  of  hell-fire.  Timely  reproof  may  save  him. 
Your  silence  may  leave  him  to  perish  in  his  sins.  But 
let  your  rebuke  be  bathed  in  the  spirit  of  Christian 
love.  "  Thou  shalt  rebuke  thy  neighbor,  and  not  suf- 
fer sin  upon  him." 

Kule  19.  By  doing  good,  especially  to  them  that  are 
of  the  household  of  faith,  or  groaning  so  to  be;  em- 
ploying them  preferably  to  others,  buying  one  of  an- 
other, helping  each  other  in  business;  and  so  much 
the  more  because  the  world  will  love  its  :^wn,  and 
them  only. 

Bible.— "As  we  have  opportunity  let  us  do  good  unto  all  men, 
especially  unto  them  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith."  (Gal.  vi. 
10.)  "  Be  kindly-affectioned  one  to  another  with  brotherly  love ;  in 
honor  preferring  one  another;  distributing  to  the  necessity  of  saints; 
given  to  hospitality."  (Kom.  xii.  10, 13.)  "  If  ye  were  of  the  world, 
the  world  would  love  his  own."     (John  xv.  19.) 

Note. 

Christian  fellowship  and  mutual  helpfulness  are 
two  leading  duties  taught  in  the  gospel. 

"What  is  fellowship?  It  is  more  than  sympathy, 
although  that  is  the  core  of  it.  It  is  sympathy  ex- 
pressed or  manifested  in  such  a  way  as  to  draw  others 
toward  you  in  the  bonds  of  brotherhood.  Fellowship 
is  making  men  feel  that  they  are  fellows  with  you; 
that  they  are  your  brethren;  that  they  are  related  to 
you;  that  they  are  a  part  of  your  person,  as  it  were. 


General  Rides.  77 

"In  the  New  Testament  the  Church  is  considered 
as  a  family :  '  Of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
and  earth  is  named.'  In  a  family,  there  are  two  in- 
fluences that  bind  persons  together.  One  is  the  com- 
mon relation  which  all  the  children  have  to  the  father 
and  the  mother,  and  that  is  a  very  powerful  influence. 
Having  the  same  father  and  mother,  they  have  the 
same  affection,  the  same  obedience,  the  same  gratitude 
and  love;  but  then  there  is  also  the  personal  attract- 
iveness of  each  toward  the  others — the  generosity  of 
the  brother,  the  guilelessness  and  simplicity  of  the 
sister,  their  mutual  helpfulness — various  traits  in  them 
tend  to  bring  members  of  the  same  family  together. 
So  the  attractiveness  of  each,  in  his  own  disposition 
and  conduct,  is  one  of  the  elements  of  fellowship  in 
the  family;  and  the  other  is  a  consciousness  of  a  com- 
mon relation  to  the  father  and  the  mother,  whom  they 
love  even  more  than  they  love  each  other. 

"  Now,  the  same  rule  of  fellowship  should  exist  in 
the  Church,  and  among  all  Churches,  namely,  the  con- 
sciousness of  a  common  relationship  to  Christ,  and  the 
attractiveness  of  mutually  helpful,  loving  lives.  We 
are  to  love  one  another,  in  our  own  Church,  and  in 
other  Churches,  because  we  feel  that  all  those  who 
are  striving  to  live  spiritual  lives  are  recognized  by 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  dear  to  him ;  for  who- 
ever  is  dear  to  Christ  ought  to  be  dear  to  ns,  no  mat- 
ter how  much  they  have  attained  or  how  little;  we  are 
to  love  all  men  who,  according  to  the  measure  of  their 
light  and  strength,  are  endeavoring  to  please  Christ. 

"  If  you  are  going  to  carry  out  this  doctrine  of  fel- 
lowship you  must  begin  by  being  yourself  lovely,  and 
acting  in  a  lovely  manner.     Rejoice  not  in  iniquity  iv. 


78  The  Methodist  Armor. 

other  people.  Love  them.  Serve  them.  Whatever 
yon  feel  of  indignation  and  vengeance  explode  on  prin- 
ciples; but  when  you  come  to  persons  and  Churches, 
cover  them  with  sympathy.  And  remember  that  this 
doctrine  can  be  practiced  singly  as  well  as  doubly. 
You  can  be  in  fellowship  with  men  if  they  are  not  in 
fellowship  with  you.  You  can  rejoice  in  their  well- 
being,  and  love  them  with  sincerity  and  truth,  though 
they  may  not  requite  it." 

Rule  20.  (Must  so  live)  By  all  possible  diligence  and 
frugality,  that  the  gospel  be  not  blamed. 

Bible. — "  Not  slothful  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the 
Lord."  (Rom.  xii.  11.)  "If  a  man  provide  not  for  his  own,  and 
especially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and 
is  worse  than  an  infidel."     (1  Tim.  v.  8). 

Notes. 
1.  "  In  the  spirit  of  this  teaching  one  should  meas- 
ure his  social  duties.  First,  it  is  a  part  of  a  Christian 
man's  duty  to  make  provision  for  his  household  by  a 
wise  prudence.  If  a  man  has  no  means  of  enlarging 
his  possessions,  if  he  is  shut  up  to  the  necessity  of 
poverty,  that  necessity  is  not  a  virtue :  it  is  a  misfort- 
une; but  there  may  be  the  virtue  of  content  and  pa- 
tience therein.  It  is  surely  a  Christian  duty  in  every 
man  who  has  power  over  natural  law  so  to  organize  his 
affairs  as  to  enlarge  and  make  more  and  more  bounti- 
ful the  property  foundation  on  which  his  household 
siands,  for  property  is  the  absolute  condition  of  civil- 
ization. In  the  midst  of  civilization,  and  in  a  religious 
community,  a  single  man  may  be  poor,  and  yet  in  every 
sense  manly  and  useful  through  life;  but,  looking  at 
the  race,  you  never  can  develop  men  and  bring  them 
up   from   savage  or  barbarous  conditions  except  by 


General  Rules.  70 

those  energies  by  which  property  is  developed,  and 
by  that  leisure  which  property  gives.  You  sharpen 
men  by  industry :  you  organize  the  active  forces  of  so- 
ciety by  commercial  or  mechanical  law;  and  you  gain 
freedom  from  bondage  to  matter  by  property,  which 
gives  men  the  opportunity  of  reflection  and  of  refine- 
ment. Property  as  your  master  is  a  tyrant,  and  mean 
enough;  but  as  your  servant,  it  is  God's  noble  gift; 
and  men  are  called,  so  soon  as  they  assume  the  family 
relation,  to  fulfill  certain  duties  which  devolve  upon 
them  in  the  matter  of  property.  These  duties  are, 
then,  for  the  most  part,  no  longer  optional  with  them." 

2.  Frugality  is  economy  in  small  things.  "Gather 
up  the  fragments  that  remain,  that  nothing  be  lost." 

"Looking  after  little  things,  that  nothing  may  be 
lost,  is  one  of  the  ways  in  which  men  learn  to  be  care- 
ful. It  is  one  of  the  ways  in  which  they  are  taught 
that  kind  of  sharpness  which  men's  faculties  need  as 
much  as  tools  need  a  sharp  and  cutting  edge.  This 
sharpness  comes  by  the  exercise  of  thoughtfulness  at 
the  beginning  of  life.  The  wise  adaptation  of  little  to 
little;  the  making  the  little  more,  and  the  more  most; 
the  habit  of  wise  frugality.  The  knowing  how  to  turn 
every  thing  that  one  touches  into  some  economic  use; 
the  being  willing  to  do  it;  the  waiting  in  the  doing  of 
it  until  by  frugality  and  care  you  are  able  to  live  more 
largely." 

"  It  is  a  common  saying,  in  respect  to  certain  peo- 
ple who  come  among  us,  that  they  can  live  on  what  wo 
throw  away.  It  is  said  that  a ,  German  will  support 
his  family  on  the  wastes  of  our  households.  It  is  a 
complaint  which  is  made  in  business  communities, 
that  profits  are  small.     Men  say:  'We  cannot  do  bue 


80  The  Methodist  Armor. 

iness  honestly  and  thrive;  the  Jews  are  taking  all  our 
business  from  us.'  Why  is  this?  Are  they  smarter 
than  you  are?  Are  they  more  industrious  than  you 
are?  'O  no;  but  they  are  less  scrupulous;  they  have 
no  conscience.'  That  is  not  it.  It  does  not  take  so 
much  to  support  them  as  it  does  to  support  you.  They 
live  on  less  than  you  do,  and  they  are  willing  to  live 
on  less.  They  save  what  they  get.  They  take  care 
of  the  fragments,  and  on  the  fragments  they  live;  and, 
so  far  as  that  is  concerned,  they  live  about  as  well  as 
you  do.  The  difference  is  in  the  amount  of  care  and 
thought  which  is  put  into  the  living.  They  give  to  it 
more  flavor  than  you  do.  And,  if  you  demand  more 
than  they  do,  you  cannot  stand  the  competition,  and 
they  will  thrive  while  you  will  not.  That  is  according 
to  a  law  of  nature." 

Rule  21.  (Must  live)  By  running  with  patience  the 
race  which  is  set  before  them,  denying  themselves  and 
taking  up  their  cross  daily;  submitting  to  bear  the  re- 
proach of  Christ,  to  be  as  the  filth  and  offscouring  of 
the  world,  and  looking  that  men  should  say  all  manner 
of  evil  of  them  falsely  for  the  Lord's  sake. 

Bible. — "  Seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a 
cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which 
doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is 
set  before  us."  (Heb.  xii.  1.)  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me."  (Matt.  xvi. 
24. )  "  We  are  made  as  the  filth  of  the  earth,  and  are  offscouring  of 
all  things  unto  this  day."  (1  Cor.  iv.  13.)  "Blessed  are  ye  when 
men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner 
of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake."     (Matt.  v.  11.) 

Notes. 
1.  This  Kule  requires  the  culture  of  patience.     Pa- 
tience is  self-control  and  forbearance  under  provoca- 


General  Rules.  81 

tion.  It  bears  the  pressure  of  pain  and  sorrow  bravely. 
It  is  willingness  to  suffer  till  relief  comes;  to  hold  still 
while  under  chastisement. 

2.  "  We  are  to  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers.    A 
man  may  be  a  good  soldier  in  the  armory;  he  may  be 
a  good  soldier  upon  the  green;  he  may  be  a  good  sol- 
dier at  the  parade,  when  he  is  marching  to  dainty 
music,  and  is  gazed  upon  by  flattering  eyes ;  and  yet 
he  may  not  in  the  field  be  able  to  stand  the  depriva- 
tions which  belong  to  campaigning.     It  is  one  thing 
to  be  a  good  soldier  at  home,  but  it  is  another  thing 
to  be  a  good  soldier  in  actual  service,  where  hunger, 
fatigue,  all  manner  of  hardships,  are  to  be  met  cheer- 
fully,  and  borne  with  manly  resolution.     And  that 
which  is  true  of  the  soldier  in  the  field  is  also  true  of 
the  soldier  in  that  spiritual  warfare  upon  which  we 
have  all  entered.     It  is  not  for  us  to  seek  religion  be- 
cause we  want  forever  the  titillation  of  joy.     Our  bus- 
iness in  life  is  to  earn  manhood  and  nobility;  and  for 
the  sake  of  these  not  only  ought  we  to  have  patience, 
but  we  ought  to  be  willing  to  endure  sorrow;  we  ought 
to  be  willing  to  meet  opposition;  we  ought  to  be  will- 
ing to  be  overtaken  by  poverty;  we  ought  to  be  will- 
ing to  suffer  reverses  of  fortune.     Whatever  may,  in 
the  providence  of  God,  be  brought  upon  us,  we  ought 
to  accept  cheerfully  for  the  sake  of  that  glorious  vic- 
tory for  which  we  have  become  soldiers  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 

3.  "  He  must  take  up  his  cross  daily.  How  many 
there  are  of  us  who  would  like  to  compromise;  who 
would  like  to  put  all  our  cross-bearing  into  one  great 
heroic  effort;  who  would  like  to  do  it  once  for  all. 
How  many  of  us  there  are  who  would  like  to  bear  our 
6 


82  The  Methodist  Armor. 

crosses  by  dreaming  of  them,  reading  about  them,  and 
listening  to  exhortations  respecting  them !  How  many 
of  us  there  are  who  bear  our  cross  on  the  bed  in  the 
morning  before  we  get  up,  or  sitting  in  our  cushioned 
pew  in  a  well-warmed  church,  as  we  listen  to  exquisite 
music  or  to  eloquent  oratory !  This  is  not  the  cross- 
bearing  to  which  Christ  invites  us.  To  take  up  our 
cross  daily  is  to  deny  ourselves  at  breakfast  the  food 
which  experience  has  proved  disagrees  with  our  diges- 
tion, however  pleasant  it  may  be  to  our  palate;  it  is  to 
go  to  our  daily  task  with  a  cheerful  spirit,  though  the 
task  be  irksome  and  uncongenial;  it  is  to  bear  others' 
burdens,  the  burdens  of  their  carelessness,  their  ig- 
norance, their  superstition,  as  Christ  bears  our  bur- 
dens, and  so  fulfill  the  law  of  Christ;  it  is  to  be 
wounded  for  others'  transgressions  and  bruised  for 
others'  iniquities,  and  see  others  healed  with  our 
stripes;  it  is  to  do  this,  not  on  some  great  occasion, 
when  all  the  world  is  admiring  our  martyrdom,  but  day 
by  day,  and  hour  by  hour,  when  no  one  knows  what 
cross  we  are  bearing  except  ourselves  and  our  Lord." 

It  is  expected  of  all  who  desire  to  continue  in  these 
societies  that  they  should  continue  to  evidence  tln-ir 
desire  of  salvation: 

Rule  22.  By  attending  upon  all  the  ordinances  of 
God,  such  as  the  public  worship  of  God. 

Bible. — "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek 
after;  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my 
life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple." 
(Ps.  xxvii.  4.)  "  Not  forsaking  the  assembling  of  ourselves  together, 
as  the  manner  of  some  is."     (Heb.  x.  25.) 

Rule  23.  The  ministry  of  the  word,  either  read  or 
expounded. 


General  Rides.  83 

Bible. — Christ  instituted  the  ministry,  and  said:  "Go  ye  there- 
fore, and  teach  all  nations,  .  .  .  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you;  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  (Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20.)  "So  then 
faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  (Rom. 
x.  17.)  "But  whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  and 
continueth  therein,  he  being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the 
work,  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in  his  deed."     (James  i.  25.) 

Note. 

Every  absence  from  public  worship,  when  it  is 
possible  to  be  there,  is  a  spiritual  loss.  True,  you 
may  not  realize  a  special  blessing  at  every  meeting, 
still  some  effect,  however  small,  will  be  felt.  Fre- 
cpient  dews,  though  small  and  silent,  spread  beauty 
and  freshness  over  the  garden  herbs.  And  for  this 
reason,  perhaps,  David  said,  "  I  was  glad  when  they 
said  unto  me,  Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord." 
Here  under  the  pulpit  light  is  poured  upon  the  igno- 
rant, the  thunder  of  the  word  awakens  the  careless 
sinner,  the  believer  is  fed  upon  the  hidden  manna  of 
the  gospel.  "  They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  re- 
new their  strength."  Make  it  a  matter  of  conscience, 
then,  to  attend  the  public  worship  of  the  Church, 
whether  on  week-day  or  Sabbath,  whether  the  meeting 
be  for  preaching,  or  the  holy  sacrament,  or  prayer- 
meeting,  or  love-feast,  or  class-meeting,  go,  and  con- 
tribute your  part  to  the  general  interest.  Be  not  one 
of  those  who  "  neglect  the  assembling  of  themselves 
together,  as  the  manner  of  some  is;"  who  are  pre- 
vented by  a  little  heat,  or  cold,  or  rain,  or  some  other 
slight,  imaginary  hinderance. 

Eule  24.  (Must  not  neglect)  The  Supper  of  the  Lord. 

BlBLE. — "And  lie  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake  it  and 
gave  unto  them,  saying,  This  is  my  body  which  is  given  for  yo'i  ■ 


8<A  The  Methodist  Armor. 

this  do  in  remembrance  of  me.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after  supper, 
saying,  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  hi  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for 
you."     <Xuke  xxii.  19,  20.) 

Notes. 

1.  The  duty  of  members  to  commune.  It  is  a  divinely 
ordained  as  well  as  an  efficient  means  of  grace.  In 
the  words  "  Take,  eat,  ....  drink  ye  all  of  it,"  we 
are  taught  that  just  as  bread  and  wine — the  common 
food  of  the  people  in  that  day — nourish  the  living 
body,  supplying  the  daily  waste  of  that  body,  and 
providing  material  for  its  growth,  so  the  believing 
with  the  heart  in  Christ  crucified  will  nourish  the  new 
man.  Oar  Lord  uses  the  word  believing,  with  refer- 
ence to  spiritual  life,  as  the  equivalent  of  eating  and 
drinking,  used  with  reference  to  the  natural  life.  "  I 
am  the  bread  of  life;  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  nev- 
er hunger,  and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never 
thirst."  And  so  the  administrator  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per is  directed  to  say  to  the  communicant,  "  Take  and 
eat  this  «.n  remembrance  that  Christ  died  for  thee,  and 
feed  on  him  in  thy  heart  by  faith  with  thanksgiving." 
When  <s  man  approaches  the  communion-table  with  a 
penitent  heart,  confessing  his  sins,  feeling  his  depend- 
ence on  Christ  and  exercising  faith  in  his  atonement, 
it  is  reasonable  and  scriptural  to  expect  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  will  quicken,  strengthen,  and  comfort. 

2.  The  qualifications  of  a  communicant.  Many  per- 
sons are  kept  away  from  the  Lord's  Supper  by  wrong 
views  on  the  subject.  They  put  the  standard  of  wor- 
thiness to  commune  too  high.  Who  are  fit  to  approach 
the  Lord's  table?  Dr.  Pope,  an  eminent  Methodist 
minister  in  England,  says:  "All  who  profess  faith 
in  Christ's  atonement,  who  desire  his  salvation,  who 


General  Bales.  85 

are  willing  to  keep  his  laws,  are  invited  to  come." 
Now  examine  yourself  by  this  rule.  Dr.  Kaymond, 
another  Methodist  minister,  says:  "A  credible  faith 
in  Christ  is  the  sole  condition  of  membership  in  the 
Christian  Church,  and,  being  admitted  by  the  rile  of 
baptism,  such  a  person  is  entitled  to  the  commun- 
ion." Dr.  Armstrong,  a  talented  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, says:  "The  conditions  prescribed  by  Christ  are 
two,  and  only  two,  viz.,  (1)  membership  in  the  visi- 
ble Church,  and  (2)  a  credible  profession  of  personal 
faith  in  him."  Our  Eitual  says :  "Ye  that  do  truly  and 
earnestly  repent  of  your  sins,  and  are  in  love  and  char- 
ity with  your  neighbors,  and  intend  to  lead  a  new  life, 
following  the  commandments  of  God,  and  walking 
from  henceforth  in  his  holy  ways,  draw  near  with 
faith,  and  take  this  holy  sacrament  to  your  comfort, 
and  make  your  humble  confession  to  Almighty  God, 
meekly  kneeling  upon  your  knees."  To  be  "  in  love 
and  charity  with  our  neighbors,"  in  the  sense  of  the 
Eitual,  does  not  require  that  we  should  believe  that 
all  who  appear  at  the  conimunion-table  are  good  and 
worthy  Christians.  The  meaning  of  the  invitation  is, 
to  be  truly  sorry  for  our  personal  sins,  to  cultivate 
good  and  charitable  feelings  toward  others,  and  a 
settled  purpose  to  lead  Christian  lives. 

3.  Open  communion.  All  the  Protestant  Churches 
practice  open  communion,  except  the  Baptists  and 
Associate  Keformed.  By  open  communion  is  meant 
a  joint  participation  of  the  Lord's  Supper  of  all  pro- 
fessed believers  in  Christ.  John  Bunyan  and  Robert 
Hall,  of  the  past,  and  Charles  Spurgeon,  of  the  pres- 
ent generation,  all  great  lights  among  the  English 
Baptists,  repudiate  close  communion. 


St)  The  Methodist  Annoy. 

Ilule  25.  (Must  not  neglect)  Family  and  private 
prayer. 

Bible. — "As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord." 
(Josh.  xxiv.  15.)  "Pour  out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen  that  know 
tliee  not,  and  upon  the  families  that  call  not  on  thy  name."  (Jer. 
x.  25.)  "When  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou 
hast  shut  the  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret;  and  thy 
Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  the  openly."  (Matt.  vi.  6.) 

Notes. 

Prayerless  families  are  like  the  Egyptian  houses 
on  whose  door-posts  there  was  no  protecting  blood  of 
the  paschal  lamb.  They  are  unsheltered  by  the  shield 
of  prayer,  exposed  to  the  destroying  angel.  The  altar  of 
family  prayer  should  be  erected  for  the  benefit  of  the  chil- 
dren. "It  is  the  molding  hand  that  shapes  our  souls 
for  time  and  for  eternity.  Many  a  young  man  has 
gone  down  to  a  premature  death  simply  because  in 
his  cradle,  in  his  infancy,  he  was  not  prayed  for  or, 
what  were  better  still,  prayed  with.  How  often  it 
happens  that  a  certain  kind  of  morbid  delicacy — so  it 
is  called — a  certain  kind  of  false  sensitiveness  exists 
on  the  part  of  the  father  and  mother  which  prevents 
their  speaking  of  religious  matters  to  their  children! 
How  many  mothers  are  in  the  habit  of  gathering  their 
children  together  to  pray  with  them  ?  How  many  fa- 
thers, on  these  holy  Sabbath  days  that  come  one  after 
another  throughout  the  year,  take  their  little  ones 
upon  their  knees,  and  talk  to  them  pleasantly  and  per- 
suasively, and  therefore  eloquently,  about  those  high- 
>?i  things  that  are  to  come  when  this  world  shall  bo 
burned  up  as  a  scroll?  Brethren,  it  seems  to  me  that 
every  child  has  a  claim  on  his  parents  in  this  direc- 
tion, and  a  right  to  look  upon  their  memory  with  sus- 


General  Rules.  87 

picion  if  they  have  neglected  their  duty.  These  things 
ought  not  to  be  left  to  the  Sunday-school  teacher,  they 
ought  not  to  be  left  to  the  teachings  of  the  Sabbath- 
da)-  from  the  pulpit;  they  ought  to  be  done  in  the 
midst  of  one's  own  family.  It  is  not  enough  to 
work  all  the  week,  that  you  may  leave  many  thousand 
dollars  to  your  boys  and  girls;  it  is  infinitely  better 
for  them,  and  infinitely  more  satisfactory  for  you,  if 
you  start  them  on  life's  journey  with  that  buckler  and 
shield  through  which  the  dart  of  the  enemy  can  nev- 
er find  its  way,  and  against  which  the  steel-point  of 
temptation  will  be  blunted. 

"  I  plead,  then,  in  the  first  place,  with  you  who  have 
children,  to  see  to  it  that  they  are  properly  prepared 
to  meet  the  exigences  of  life  as  they  ought  to.  I  tell 
you  the  religion  of  one's  cradle  is  of  infinite  impor- 
tance, and  to  teach  one  to  pray  is  better  than  to  give 
one  money,  and  to  teach  one  to  trust  in  God  is  far,  is 
infinitely  better  than  to  urge  the  child's  ambition  to- 
ward any  earthly  goal.  It  is  well  enough  to  see  to 
the  intellectual  culture  of  your  little  ones,  but  it  is  of 
greater  importance  to  them  and  to  you  that  you  give 
them  a  sensible  religious  education." — Dr.  Hepworth. 

The  fact  has  been  discovered  by  actual  experiment 
that  two-thirds  of  the  children  reared  in  praying,  pious 
families  become  members  of  the  Church,  while  only 
one  in  twelve  becomes  religious  of  those  raised  in  prayer- 
less-<families.  Out  of  two  hundred  and  seven  praying 
families  come  sixty  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  five 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  professors  of  religion. 

2.  Scarf  prayer.     Our  Saviour  prayed  much  in  se- 
cret.    If  he  found  it  necessary,  who  of  his  disciples  , 
can   plead   exemption?     Secret  prayer  rightly  per 


88  The  Methodist  Armor. 

formed  refreshes  the  soul  as  the  silent  dews  of  the 
night  do  the  grass;  it  gets  at  the  hidden  sources  of 
life.  Behold  that  beautiful  tree,  swaying  its  green 
branches  in  the  wind,  catching  the  glory  of  the  sum- 
mer's sun  on  its  foliage,  fragrant  with  bloom  and 
bending  with  golden  fruit!  Where  is  the  secret  of  its 
abundant  life?  In  the  roots,  hidden  in  the  ground, 
but  busy  all  summer  pumping  up  the  elements  of  life. 
Secret  prayer  is  to  the  Christian  life  what  the  roots 
are  to  the  tree.  "  Prayer  is  the  rope  up  in  the  bel- 
fry; we  pull  it,  and  it  rings  the  bell  up  in  heaven." 
Said  Mary,  Queen  of  Scotland,  "  I  fear  John  Knox's 
prayers  more  than  an  army  of  ten  thonsand  men." 
Prayer  moves  the  arm  that  moves  the  world. 

Rule  26.  (Must  not  neglect)  Searching  the  Script- 
ures. 

Bible. — "  I  will  meditate  in  thy  precepts,  and  have  respect  unto 
thy  ways.  I  will  delight  myself  in  thy  statutes;  I  will  not  forget 
thy  word."  (Ps.  cxix.  15,  16.)  "Search  the  Scriptures;  for  in  them 
ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life ;  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of 
me."     (John  v.  39.) 

Note. 

"  The  Bible  is  a  rock  of  diamonds,  a  chain  of  pearls, 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit;  a  chart  by  which  the  Chris- 
tian sails  to  eternity;  the  map  by  which  he  daily 
walks ;  the  sun-dial  by  which  he  sets  his  life ;  the  bal- 
ances in  which  he  weighs  his  action." — T.  Watson. 

To  be  read  daily.  The  Countess  of  Suffolk  read  the 
Bible  over  twice  annually.  Dr.  Gouge  read  fifteen 
chapters  daily.  Joshua  Barnes  read  his  Bible  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty  times  over.  Robert  Cotton  read  the 
whole  Bible  through  twelve  times  a  year. 

How  to  read  it.  An  old  man  once  said:  "Reading 
the  Bible  is  like  eating  fish.     When  I  find  a  difficulty 


General  Rules.  89 

1  lay  it  aside,  and  call  it  a  bone.  Why  should  I  choke 
over  a  bone,  when  there  is  so  much  nutritious  meat 
for  me?" 

Eule  27.  (Must  not  neglect)  Fasting,  or  abstinence. 

Bible. — "When  ye  fast,  be  not,  as  the  hypocrites,  of  a  sad  counte- 
nance; .  .  .  but  thou,  when  thou  fastest,  anoint  thine  head,  and  -wash 
thy  face ;  that  thou  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast,  but  unto  thy  Father 
which  is  in  secret."     (Matt.  vi.  16-18.) 

Note. 

Observe,  Christ  did  not  condemn  fasting,  but  the 
hypocritical  manner  of  doing  it.  AVhen  you  fast— 
which  implies  the  duty  of  it — do  not  appear  before 
men  bowed  down  as  a  bulrush,  with  a  sad  face,  but 
wear  a  cheerful  smile;  anoint  the  head,  that  thou  ap- 
pear not  unto  men  to  fast,  but  unto  thy  Father.  Let 
your  fasting  be  internal,  not  external. 

The  Church  requires  its  members  to  fast  as  a  means 
of  grace.  Every  Friday  immediately  preceding  each 
quarterly-meeting  has  usually  been  set  apart  as  fast- 
day  in  our  Church.  A  day  devoted  to  fasting  and 
prayer  is  a  preparation  for  the  success  of  these  impor- 
tant meetings.  "  It  is  precisely  the  lack  of  this  prep- 
aration and  training  that  we  suffer  from.  When  the 
greatest  speed  of  a  horse  is  to  be  tested,  the  trainer 
does  not  allow  him  to  run  at  will  over  the  pasture, 
nor  does  he  simply  put  him  on  a  wholesale  diet.  He 
almost  counts  the  straws  that  he  gives  the  horse;  he 
cleans  and  sifts  the  oats,  and  gives  him  the  very  best 
kinds;  he  measures  the  horse's  exercise;  and  every 
part  of  the  horse  is  under  the  trainer's  watch  and  care, 
that  lie  may  be  in  the  finest  condition  when  he  puts 
forth  his  energy  in  competition.  And  shall  a  man  do 
so  much  for  his  horse,  and  nothing  for  himself?    Shall 


90  The  Methodist  Armor. 

there  be  no  preparation,  no  discipline,  no  blanketing, 
no  washing,  no  care  as  to  diet,  no  training,  nothing  but 
going  on  through  the  linked  year,  Sabbath  joined  to  Sab- 
bath, taking  things  as  they  come,  allowing  themselves 
to  move  about  as  the  current  sweeps  them  along  ?  Is 
that  the  wisest  method  of  spiritual  culture?" 

These  are  the  General  Rules  of  our  societies;  all 
which  we  are  taught  of  God  to  observe,  even  in  his 
written  word,  which  is  the  only  rule,  and  the  suffi- 
cient rule,  both  of  our  faith  and  practice.  And  all 
these  we  know  his  Spirit  writes  on  truly  awakened 
hearts.  If  there  be  any  among  us  who  observe  them 
not,  who  habitually  break  any  of  them,  let  it  be  known 
unto  them  who  watch  over  that  soul,  as  they  who  must 
give  an  account.  We  will  admonish  him  of  the  error 
of  his  ways :  we  will  bear  with  him  for  a  season ;  but 
if  then  he  repent  not,  he  hath  no  more  place  among 
us:  we  have  delivered  our  own  souls. 


CHAPTER  V. 
PROMINENT  DOCTRINES  OF  METHODISM. 

I.  Univeesal  Redemption. 
Methodism  teaches  that  the  atonement  of  Christ  is 
unrv  ersal  in  its  extent — that  it  is  broad  enough  to  cover 
all  the  sins  of  all  the  children  of  Adam  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end  of  time.  It  teaches  that  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ  derived  infinite  value  from  the  divinity 
of  his  person,  and  is  therefore  intrinsically  sufficient 
to  expiate  the  sins  of  the  whole  human  race,  and  was 
really  so  intended.     This  is  Arminianism. 

Calvinism  teaches  that  "  Christ  died  exclusively  for 
the  elect,  and  purchased  redemption  for  them  alone, 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  91 

and  in  no  sense  did  lie  die  for  the  rest  of  the  race." 
"  That  the  atonement  of  Christ  is  specific  and  limited, 
that  it  is  neither  universal  nor  indefinite,  but  restricted 
to  the  elect  alone." 

According  to  Calvinism,  the  salvation  or  the  non- 
salvation  of  each  human  being  depends  absolutely  and 
solely  on  the  eternal,  irresistible  decree  of  God,  made 
"■without  any  foresight  of  faith  or  good  works  in  the 
creature,  as  conditions  or  causes  moving  him  thereto." 
According  to  this  system,  God  has  elected  to  eternal  life 
a  certain,  definite,  unalterable  number,  and  passed  the 
rest  of  mankind  by  unredeemed  to  perish  in  their  sins. 
Hence  it  teaches  a  partial  atonement,  irresistible  grace, 
and  final  perseverance  as  flowing  out  from  the  decrees. 

Arminianism  teaches  that  "  Christ  died  for  all  men," 
for  "  the  wdiole  world,"  and  that  the  salvation  or  non- 
salvation  depends  not  on  an  arbitrary  decree,  but  upon 
the  willingness  or  unwillingness  of  each  man  to  com- 
ply with  the  gospel  conditions  of  salvation. 

1.  That  Jesus  Christ  died  for  all  men  is  clearly  and 
expressly  taught  in  the  following  scriptures: 

Proofs. — "  That  He,  by  the  grace  of  God,  should  taste  death  for 
every  man."  (Ileb.  ii.  9.)  "He  is  the  propitiation  for  sins ;  and 
not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  (2Coj. 
v.  15.)  "The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men  hath 
appeared."  (Titus  ii.  11.)  "God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
bis  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  (John  iii.  16.)  ''That  was  the 
true  Light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometb  into  the  world." 
(John  i.  9.)  "God  our  Saviour.  .  .  .  will  have  nil  men  to  be  saved." 
(1  Tim.  ii.  3.)  "For  the  love  of  Christ  constraint h  us,  because  wo 
thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead."  (2  Cor.  v.  14.) 

Notes. 
1.  If  Christ  died  for  all  men,  then  an  all  placed  ir 


02  The  Methodist  Armor. 

a  solvable  condition.  The  sins  of  every  man  are 
atoned  for,  a  pardon  for  every  man  is  purchased,  and 
every  man  is  welcome  to  the  favor  of  God  and  ever- 
lasting life.  It  follows  that  a  decree  of  reprobation, 
absolutely  predestinating  any  human  being  to  eternal 
damnation,  is  impossible.  In  harmony  with  the  doc- 
trine that  Christ  died  for  all  men,  the  duty  to  believe 
in  him  as  a  Saviour  is  enjoined  upon  all. 

Proofs. — "  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  but  he  that  believ- 
etli  not  shall  be  damned."  (Mark  xvi.  16.)  "He  that  believeth  is 
not  condemned,  but  lie  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  be- 
cause he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of 
God."     (John  iii.  8.) 

2.  In  harmony  with  the  scheme  of  universal  redemp- 
tion, gospel  ministers  are  authorized  to  preach  free 
salvation  to  all  men. 

Proofs. — "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
eveiy  creature."  (Mark  xvi.  15.)  "And  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride 
say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that 
is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
freely."  (Kev.  xxii.  17.)  "Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest ;  and  him  that  cometh  unt» 
me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."     (Matt.  xi.  28.) 

3.  In  accord  with  this  doctrine  are  many  precious 
promises  and  tender  expostulations. 

Proof. — "Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lor.d; 
though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow;  though 
they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool."     (Isa.  i.  18.) 

4.  Then,  men  are  constantly  charged  with  the  blame 
of  their  own  ruin.  "  For  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  him  that  dieth,  saith  the  Lord  God;  wherefore  turn 
yourselves,  and  live  ye."  (Ezek.  xviii.  32.)  We  might 
quote  every  chapter  in  the  prophets  to  show  that  the 
Israelites  were  blamed  as  the  cavse  of  their  own  ruin. 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  93 

But  it  is  needless  to  enlarge.  The  whole  Bible  testi- 
fies that  men  are  truly  the  authors  of  their  own  de- 
struction. God  often  complains  that  he  has  striven 
to  save  men,  but  they  would  not  let  him.  "O  Jeru- 
salem, Jerusalem  ....  how  often  would  I  have  gath- 
ered thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her 
chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not.'"  (Matt. 
xxiii.  37.)  He  "  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to 
come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  (1  Tim.  i.  4.) 
5.  Furthermore,  the  argument  from  reason  is  as 
definite  and  conclusive.  Does  not  every  man's  own 
conscience  tell  him  that  he  is  the  author  of  his  own 
sins,  and  consequently  of  the  punishment  flowing  from 
them?  Does  not  conscience  accuse  us,  holding  that 
we  alone  are  to  blame  for  them  ?  Thus,  the  testimony 
of  conscience  sustains  the  Arminian  doctrine.  Yet 
Calvinism  teaches  that  God,  "  for  the  sake  of  his  own 
glory,"  created  man  to  be  lost — created  pain  and 
stamped  it  with  immortality — that  "  God  did  create  a 
race,  large  portions  of  whom,  not  being  elected,  would 
go  on  to  eternal  punishment,  suffering  forever  and 
ever  hopelessly— all  "for  his  own  glory."  Can  there 
be  any  glory  in  creating  and  dooming  millions  of  the 
human  race  to  perdition  just  for  the  sake  of  seeing 
them  suffer?  Is  there  "  glory  "  in  a  government  over 
this  universe  in  which  there  is  suffering  without  any 
other  end  than  suffering?  Can  there  be  any  better 
definition  of  Satanic  malignity  given  than  that  it  is  a 
voluntary  creation  of  suffering  merely  for  the  sake  of 
suffering?  Finally,  the  salvation  of  every  human  be- 
ing is  possible,  or  it  is  not  possible.  If  it  is  possible, 
then  the  possibility  is  based  on  the  universality  of  the 
atonement,  for  none  can  be  <*aved  outside  of  the  atone 


1)1  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ment.  If  the  salvation  of  every  man  is  not  possible, 
then  men  are  damned  for  not  performing  an  impoesi- 
bility,  which  is  too  monstrous  for  any  sane  man  to  be- 
lieve. But,  as  Methodists,  we  glory  in  the  full,  free, 
and  universal  redemption  of  Christ. 

Christ  says,  "I  am  the  Light  of  the  world.'*  The  can- 
dle is  the  light  of  a  little  room;  the  lamp  is  the  light 
of  the  street;  but  the  sun,  standing  on  the  high  arch 
of  the  heavens  says,  "  I  am  the  light  of  the  world?'  He 
fills  the  blue  heavens  above  full  of  light,  and  clothes 
the  rolling  seas,  the  earth,  its  hills,  dales,  fields,  and 
mountains,  with  the  beautiful  robe  of  radiance.  Who 
owns  the  sun?  Everybody.  He  is  made  for  the  world. 
The  modest  spire  of  grass  can  look  up  and  say,  "  Thou 
art  my  sun."  The  spreading  oaks,  the  blooming  flow- 
ers, the  ripening  grain  in  a  thousand  fields,  can  look 
up  and  say,  "Yes,  and  he  is  no  less  our  sun."  The 
sun  shines  not  for  the  few,  but  for  the  teeming  mill- 
ions of  earth.  So  Christ  is  the  Light  of  the  world. 
"  He  is  the  Sun  of  righteousness."  The  cross  is  the 
flaming  orb  of  moral  day,  spreading  impartially  glo- 
rious light  from  pole  to  pole.  Its  power  changes  the 
winter  of  heathendom  into  the  green  and  fruitful  sum- 
mer of  Christian  civilization. 

The  psalmist  says:  "As  the  heaven  is  high  above 
the  earth,  so  great  is  his  mercy  toward  them  that  fear 
him."  The  boundless  extent  of  heaven's  blue  field  is 
an  emblem  of  redeeming  grace.  The  vast  circular 
tent  of  the  broad  firmament  incloses  the  whole  race 
of  man.  None  can  go  beyond  and  outside  of  its  sap- 
phire walls.  Wherever  man  may  stray  on  the  remote 
frontier  and  far-off  corners  of  the  earth",  the  deep  blue 
heavens  bend  over  him      So  the  boundless  blue  sky 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  9j 

of  Christ's  love  bends  oyer  the  human  race,  beaming 
with  the  stars  of  promise  and  hope. 

As  there  is  room  in  the  broad  ocean  for  all  the  ships  of 
the  world  to  float  and  never  crowd  each  other,  so  there 
is  ample  room  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  for  all  men. 
As  all  the  armies  of  the  wrorld  can  wash,  bathe,  and 
cleanse  themselves  in  the  ocean,  so  in  the  red  sea 
of  Christ's  blood  the  world's  vast  population  may  be 
purified. 

"  He  tasted  death  for  every  man."  "  He  gave  him- 
self a  ransom  for  all."  "  He  is  a  propitiation  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world."  That  all  are  not  saved  is  no 
objection.  It  is  suggested  by  a  popular  expositor 
that  in  material  nature  much  goodness  seems  wTasted. 
Rain  and  dew  descend  upon  flinty  rocks  and  sterile 
sands;  floods  of  genial  light  come  tiding  down  every 
morning  from  the  sun  on  scenes  where  no  human  foot 
has  trod;  flowers  bloom  in  beauty,  and  emit  their  fra- 
grance; trees  rise  in  majesty,  and  throw  away  theii 
clustering  fruit  on  spots  where  as  yet  there  has  never 
been  a  man;  wealth  sufficient  to  enrich  whole  nations 
is  buried  beneath  the  mountains  and  the  seas,  while 
millions  are  in  want;  medicine  for  half  the  ills  of  life 
is  shut  up  in  minerals  and  plants,  while  generations 
die  without  knowing  the  remedy  which  nature  has 
provided.  It  is  no  objection,  therefore,  to  the  univer- 
sality of  the  atonement  that  all  are  not  benefited  by 
it.  Its  benefits  one  day  will  be  universally  enjoyed 
There  are  men  coming  after  us  who  shall  live  in  these 
solitary  wastes,  enjoy  the  beauty  and  the  light  which 
now  seems  wasted,  appropriate  the  fruits,  the  wealth, 
the  medicine,  which  for  ages  have  been  of  no  avail.  It 
will  be  even  so  with  the  death  of  Christ.     There  arc 


96  The  Methodist  Armor. 

men  coming  after  ns  that  shall  participate  in  the  bless- 
ings of  that  atonement  which  generations  have  either 
ignorantly  rejected  or  wickedly  despised. 

II.  Eepentance. 

Personal  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  toward 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  are  always  united  in  the  Bible. 
Repentance  implies  a  certain  kind  of.  preexisting  faith, 
and  faith  implies  a  preexisting  repentance.  Both  are 
produced  by  the  preliminary  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
but  not  perfected  without  the  cooperation  of  man. 
Repentance  is  a  means  and  faith  a  condition  of  salva- 
tion. The  broken  and  contrite  heart,  a  godly  sorrow 
of  soul,  a  keen  sense  of  sin,  prepare  the  soul  to  accept 
Christ  as  the  only  Saviour.  Such  a  state  of  mind 
leads  to  a  free  and  candid  confession  of  sin;  and  this 
leads  to  reformation.  This  reformation  implies  two 
things,  viz.,  a  turning  from  sin,  and  a  serious  effort  at  obe- 
dience. The  Bible  commands  the  penitent,  "Cease  to  do 
evil,  and  learn  to  do  well"  Repentance  is  preeminently 
a  personal  obligation.     It  is  a  duty  laid  upon  all  men. 

Proofs. — "  God  now  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to  repent." 
(Acts  xvii.  30.)  "  Repent  ye,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand." 
(Matt.  iii.  2.)  "Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Acts  ii.  38.)  "Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts,  and  let  him  re- 
turn unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our 
God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  (Isa.  lv.  7.)  "Repent,  and 
turn  yourselves  from  all  your  transgressions;  so  iniquity  shall  not  be 
your  ruin."  (Ezek.  xviii.  30.)  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likf - 
wise  perish."     (Luke  xiii.  5.) 

Notes. 
1.  True  repentance  must  be  thorough,  forsaking  all 
si  a.     If  a  ship  have  three  leaks,  the  stopping  of  two 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  97 

of  them  is  not  sufficient;  the  third  one  left  unstopped 
will  sink  it.  All  must  be  closed  up.  Or,  if  a  man  have 
two  dangerous  wounds,  the  curing  of  one  is  not  enough. 
Both  must  be  cured.  A  tree,  fallen  upon  the  bosom 
of  a  river,  sways  up  and  down  on  the  stream,  but  does 
not  float  off  down  stream,  because  it  is  anchored  by  a 
hidden  root  reaching  into  the  bank.  So  one  secret  sin, 
not  given  up,  will  keep  the  soul  from  floating  on  the 
stream  of  grace  into  the  kingdom  of  life. 

2.  Gospel  repentance  makes  self-sacrifice.  A  certain 
liquor-seller  showed  sincere  repentance  by  piling  up 
his  liquor-barrels  and  burning  them.  Sins  dear  as 
right  eyes  and  hands  must  be  given  up. 

3.  True  repentance  asks  pardon,  and  trusts  in  Christ 
alone  for  salvation. 

4.  Gospel  repentance  leads  to  an  open  and  full  con- 
fession of  sin.  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us."  The  benefit  of  confession  is 
illustrated  in  the  following  story:  A  German  prince 
visited  the  Arsenal  at  London,  where  the  galleys  were 
kept.  The  commandant,  as  a  compliment  to  his  rank, 
offered  to  set  at  liberty  any  slave  whom  he  selected. 
The  prince  went  the  round  of  the  prison,  and  con- 
versed with  the  prisoners.  He  inquired  into  the  rea- 
son of  their  confinement,  and  met  only  with  universal 
complaints  of  injustice,  oppression,  and  false  accusa- 
tion. At  last  he  came  to  one  man  who  admitted  his 
imprisonment  to  he  just-.  "My  lord,"  said  he,  "I  have 
no  reason  to  complain.  I  have  been  a  wicked,  des- 
perate wretch;  I  have  often  deserved  to  be  broken 
upon  the  wheel;  and  it  is  a  mercy  that  I  am  here." 
The  prince  selected  him,  saying,  "This  is  the  man 
whom  I  wish  released."     The  application  is  easy 


98  The  Methodist  Armor. 

III.  Justification  Through  Faith. 

"Justification  is  the  divine  judicial  act  which  ajv 
plies  to  the  sinner  believing  in  Christ  the  benefit  of 
the  atonement,  delivering  him  from  the  condemnation 
of  his  sin,  introducing  him  into  a  state  of  favor,  and 
treating  him  as  a  righteous  person."  "  To  be  justified 
is  to  be  pardoned,  and  received  into  God's  favor;  into 
such  a  state  that,  if  we  continue  therein,  we  shall  be 
finally  saved. " — Methodist  Minutes.  Justification,  par- 
don, forgiveness  of  sins,  are  substantially  the  same  in 
Methodist  theology. 

This  pardon  extends  to  all  sins  in  the  past,  little  and 
great.  "All  manner  of  sin"  is  forgiven;  so  "there  is 
no  condemnation  to  them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

The  originating  cause  is  the  love  of  God;  the  merito- 
rious cause  is  the  atonement  of  Christ;  the  instrumental 
cause  is  the  personal  faith  of  the  believer. 

Proofs. — "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten 
Son  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."  (John  iii.  10.)  "Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  [or  justification]  to  every  one  that  believeth."  (Rom. 
x.  4.)  "Being  justified  by  faitb,  we  have  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Rom.  v.  1.)  "  By  him  [Christ]  all  that 
believe  are  justified  from  all  tilings,  from  which  they  could  not  be 
justified  by  the  law  of  Moses."  (Acts  xiii.  39.)  "T:  him  that  work  - 
eth  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is 
counted  for  righteousness  [or  justification]."  (Rom.  iv.  5.)  "  There- 
fore we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of 
the  law."     (Rom.  iii.  28.) 

We  must  have  that  faith  that  relies  on  Christ  as  our 
Substitute.  A  farmer  was  seen  kneeling  at  a  soldier's 
grave,  near  Nashville.  Some  one  said  unto  him :  "  Why 
do  you  pay  so  much  attention  to  this  grave?  Was 
your  son  buried  here?"     "No,"  said  he.     "During 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  99 

fche  war  my  family  were  sick.  I  knew  not  how  to  leave 
them.  I  was  drafted.  One  of  my  neighbors  came 
over  and  said,  'I  will  go  for  yon;  I  have  no  family.' 
He  went  off.  He  was  wounded  at  Chicamauga.  He 
was  carried  to  the  hospital,  and  died.  And,  sir,  I 
have  come  a  great  many  miles,  that  I  might  write 
over  his  grave  these  words,  'He  died  for  me.' "  So  Christ 
was  our  Substitute;  he  died  for  us.  He  Was  wounded 
'for  our  transgressions. 

"  When  the  Son  of  God  was  made  of  a  woman,  and 
made  under  the  law,  then  was  heard  the  most  awful 
voice  that  ever  was  heard  in  the  universe  yet:  'Awake, 
O  sword!  against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  and  smite 
the  shepherd' — smite  him!  When  there  was  a  man 
in  the  world  that  was  Jehovah's  fellow,  then  there  was 
one  that  could  magnify  the  law,  in  smiting  whom  jus- 
tice could  obtain  its  demands.  The  sword  of  justice 
smote  him,  struck  him,  cut  him.  The  sword  of  jus- 
tice had  a  commission  to  smite  the  Man  that  was  Je- 
hovah's fellow;  it  smote  him  in  Bethlehem;  it  smote 
all  along  the  highway  of  his  life,  even  to  Calvary.  On 
Calvary  the  stroke  of  the  sword  fell  heavy;  the  glances 
of  that  sword  then  darkened  the  sun ;  the  stroke  of  the 
sword  shook  the  earth,  shook  hell ;  it  kept  smiting  and 
smiting  the  Man  that  was  God's  fellow,  till  at  last  he 
cried,  'It  is  finished!'  Then  the  sword  fell  down  at 
the  foot  of  the  cross,- hushed,  lulled,  pacified;  and  it 
lay  there  till  the  third  hallowed  morning,  when  it  was 
found  changed  into  a  scepter  of  mercy;  and  that  scep- 
ter of  mercy  has  been  a  warning  among  mankind  ever 
since." 

Without  Works.  —  Faith  without  works  renounces 
every  other  dependence  than  the  atonement.     As  an 


J.OG  The  Methodist  Armor. 

instrument  it  embraces  Christ,  rests  upon  him  as  a 
house  upon  a  rock  foundation,  enters  into  his  right- 
eousness for  safety,  as  Noah  entered  the  ark  for  pro- 
tection from  the  flood.  It  acknowledges  the  utter 
impossibility  of  being  saved  by  personal  obedience  to 
the  law.  To  become  righteous  in  that  way  is  forever 
out  of  the  question.  It  confesses  past  sins,  present 
weakness,  and  the  impossibility  of  canceling  past 
transgressions  by  future  obedience.  Justifying  faith 
is  then  the  trust  of  the  soul  in  Christ  as  the  only  hope 
of  salvation.  It  is  the  forsaking  of  the  sinking  ship 
of  self -righteousness,  and  taking  refuge  in  the  ark  of 
Christ's  atonement.  The  genuineness  of  this  saving 
faith  is  proved  by  evangelical  works  of  righteousness 
without  which  the  state  of  justification  cannot  be  re- 
tained. The  works  of  faith  declare,  manifest  the  life 
and  reality  of  saving  faith.  The  tree  of  justifying 
faith  is  known  by  the  fruits  of  good  works.  The  sub- 
stance of  faith  will  project  the  shadow  of  good  works. 
Hence  there  is  a  justification  by  faith  without  the 
merit  of  works,  and  a  justification  by  faith  on  the  evi- 
dence of  works;  but  in  both  cases  justification  is  based 
on  the  grace  of  the  atonement.  "As  the  body  without 
the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also." 
In  conclusion,  note  the  following  particulars: 

1.  "Importance  of  Justification. — Justification  is  the 
very  king  and  pillar  of  Christianity,  and  an  error  about 
justification  is  dangerous,  like  a  crack  in  the  founda- 
tion. Justification  by  Christ  is  a  spring  of  the  water 
of  life,  and  to  have  the  poison  of  corrupt  doctrine  cast 
into  this  spring  is  damnable." — T.  Watson. 

2.  It  is  by  Faith.  —  "Luther  sought  rest  for  his 
troubled  breast  in  self-denial  and  retirement  as  a  monk. 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  101 

but  did  not  find  it.  In  1510  he  started  as  a  delegate 
for  Rome,  hoping  to  find  relief  from  his  burden  there. 
As  he  came  in  sight  of  the  city,  he  fell  on  his  knees, 
exclaiming,  '  Holy  Rome,  I  salute  thee ! '  He  was 
shocked  at  the  wickedness  which  he  found  there.  The 
people  said  to  him, '  If  there  is  a  hell,  Rome  is  built 
over  it.'  At  last  he  turned  to  ascend  Pilate's  stair- 
case upon  his  knees.  He  toiled  from  step  to  step,  re- 
peating prayers  at  every  one,  till  a  voice  of  thunder 
seemed  to  cry  within  him,  '  The  just  shall  live  by 
faith!'  Instantly  he  rose;  saw  the  folly  of  his  hope 
of  relief  through  works  of  merit.  New  life  followed 
his  new  light.  Seven  years  after,  he  nailed  his  '  the- 
ses '  to  the  doors  of  the  Wittenburg  church,  and  in- 
augurated the  Reformation." — Foster's  Cyclopedia. 

3.  Only  by  the  Merit  of  Christ. — "  Some  harbors  have 
bars  of  sand  which  lie  across  the  entrance,  and  pro- 
hibit the  access  of  ships  at  low  water.  There  is  a  bar, 
not  of  sand,  but  of  adamantine  rock — the  bar  of  divine 
justice — which  lies  between  the  sinner  and  heaven. 
Christ's  righteousness  is  the  high  water  that  carries  a 
believing  penitent  over  this  bar  and  transmits  him 
safely  to  the  land  of  eternal  rest." — Salter. 

4.  Justification  and  regeneration  are  coincident  as  to 
time,  though  distant  as  to  nature.  The  first  is  what 
God  does  for  us  in  heaven — granting  pardon  for  all 
past  sins;  the  latter  is  what  he  does  in  us  in  regen- 
erating the  heart.  Like  two  streams  which  unite  their 
separate  waters  to  form  one  river,  justification  and 
regeneration  are  combined  in  the  work  of  salvation. 

IV.  Regeneration. 
Regeneration  is  the  new  birth:   that  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  by  which  we  experience  a  change  of  heart. 


J  02  The  Methodist  Armor. 

It  is  expressed  in  the  Scripture  by  being  born  again; 
by  being  quickened;  by  our  partaking  of  the  divine 
nature.  The  efficient  cause  of  regeneration  is  the  Di- 
vine Spirit." — R.  Watson. 

Proofs. — "  Except  a  man  be  born  again  be  cannot  see  tbe  king- 
dom of  God."  (Jobn  iii.  3.)  "  That  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which 
ifter  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness."  (Eph.  iv. 
24.)    "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature."    (2  Cor.  v.  17.) 

Notes. 

1,  Justification  is  the  removal  of  guilt,  while  regen- 
eration is  the  removal  of  the  pollution  of  sin.  Justi- 
fication is  an  act  taking  place  in  the  court  of  heaven, 
while  regeneration  is  a  work  performed  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  and  upon  the  soul  of  the  believer.  Justification, 
therefore,  is  objective,  while  regeneration  is  always  sub- 
jective. Regeneration  is  the  birth  of  a  new-born  babe. 
The  infant  born  into  the  world  is  the  man  in  minia- 
ture. All  the  parts  of  the  body,  and  all  the  faculties 
of  the  mind,  are  there  in  embryo.  So  the  regenerated 
person  is  a  saint  in  embryo.  The  new  principles  are 
there,  the  new  affections  are  there,  the  saint  is  there, 
but  in  infancy.  The  young  twig  two  feet  high  is  an 
oak,  yet  there  is  a  vast  distance  between  its  diminu- 
tive size  and  the  full-grown  oak,  covering  with  its 
wide-spreading  branches  an  acre  of  ground.  "The 
kingdom  of  God  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  which, 
when  it  is  sown  in  the  earth,  is  less  than  all  the  seeds 
that  be  in  the  earth;  but  when  it  is  sown,  it  groiveth 
up,  and  becometh  greater  than  all  herbs,  and  shooteth 
out  great  branches." 

2.  Regeneration  is  More  than  Outward  Reformation. — 
"  Wash  me  thoroughly  from  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me 
from  my  sin."     Mark  the  thoroughness  of  this  desire 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  103 

Not  only  must  sin  be  blotted  out,  but  the  sinner  him- 
self must  be  washed  and  cleansed.  There  must  be 
not  merely  a  change  of  state,  but  a  change  of  nature. 
Not  only  must  the  debt  be  forgiven,  but  all  disposition 
to  contract  further  debt  must  be  eradicated.  Outward 
reformation  is  cutting  the  bird's  wings,  but  leaving  it 
with  the  propensity  to  fly.  It  is  pulling  out  the  lion's 
teeth,  but  not  changing  the  lion's  nature.  A  vicious 
horse  is  none  the  better  tempered  because  the  kicking 
straps  prevent  his  dashing  the  carriage  to  pieces.  Be- 
generating  grace,  like  a  lump  of  sugar  in  a  cup  of  tea, 
sweetens  the  heart  of  man.  It  makes  the  tree  good 
to  get  good  fruit.  It  purifies  the  fountain  of  the  heart, 
and  then  the  practical  stream  of  life  Avill  be  pure. 

3.  The  scriptural  images  setting  forth  the  nature  of 
the  new  birth  are  many.  The  first  is  the  new  birth. 
"  So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  "  Chris- 
tians are  born  of  God;  they  are  the  children  of  God." 
"  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  Every  thing  in 
generation  produces  its  own  peculiar  kind.  This  is  a 
universal  law.  The  oak  is  born  out  of  the  acorn;  the 
eagle  comes  out  of  the  egg  of  the  eagle;  serpents  be- 
get serpents;  corn  produces  corn;  wheat  generates 
wheat;  so  fallen  human  beings  will  generate  children 
of  impure  fleshly  nature.  And  as  the  child  bears  the 
image  of  the  parent,  so  those  born  of  God  bear  the 
image  of  God.  They  have  the  spirit  of  Christ.  "  To 
as  many  as  received  him  to  them  gave  he  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God."  Secondly,  regeneration  is 
compared  to  a  new  creation.  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ 
he  is  a  new  creature,"  or  a  new  creation.  lie  is  cre- 
ated in  Christ  Jesus  unt  >  good  works.     This  spiritual 


104  The  Methodist  Armor. 

creation  refers  to  the  creation  of  the  world  at  the  be- 
ginning. There  were  two  stages  of  creation:  first  the 
creation  of  matter;  then  the  fashioning  the  chaotic 
matter  into  a  beautiful  world  of  order.  The  latter 
illustrates  spiritual  creation.  The  soul  in  sin  is  the 
chaotic  "  earth  without  form  and  void,  and  darkness 
upon  the  face  of  it."  And  as  the  creative  Spirit  moved 
over  the  huge  bulk  of  matter  to  bring  light  out  of 
darkness,  beauty  out  of  deformity,  life  out  of  death, 
so  must  that  same  efficient  and  powerful  Spirit  shed 
light  upon  the  darkened  understanding,  fashion  the 
dilapidated  soul  into  the  beauty  of  the  divine  image, 
and  imbue  it  with  the  moving  energy  of  spiritual  life. 
Thirdly,  regeneration  is  likened  to  a  resurrection 
from  a  state  of  death.  The  regenerated  are  "those 
that  are  alive  from  the  dead."  "  You  hath  he  quick- 
ened who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  The  re- 
generated man  is  the  same  man  who  was  dead  in  sin. 
He  has  the  same  body,  the  same  intellectual  faculties 
and  personal  peculiarities.  The  convert  is  the  same 
man,  but  leavened  with  a  new  spirit.  Christ  did  not 
give  the  blind  man  new  eyes,  but  a  new  light  to  the  old 
ones.  He  did  not  give  Lazarus  a  new  body,  but  im- 
parted life  to  the  old  one.  The  body  of  Christ  was  not 
destroyed,  but  remained  the  same  body,  and  was  made 
glorious  by  the  Transfiguration;  so  the  spiritual  man 
is  made  glorious  by  grace. 

4.  The  Evidences  of  Regeneration.— Regeneration  is 
never  without  certain  effects  which  evidence  its  ex- 
istence. We  have  seen  that  the  Bible  describes  it  as 
"life  from  the  dead,"  and  as  "a  new  elation."  All 
life  manifests  itself.  All  nature  seems  dejid  in  winter. 
When  spring  comes,  we  know  it  by  the;  s^ns  of  vege. 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  105 

table  life.  The  buds  open  in  new  bloom,  in  new  foli- 
age, new  verdure,  new  fruit.  The  evidence  of  life  is 
abundant  in  all  departments  of  nature.  So  in  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  there  is  new  light  shining  upon  the 
mind.  The  Sun  of  righteousness  pours  its  beams  upon 
the  darkened  soul.  There  is  new  love  shed  abroad  in 
the  heart.  "  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death 
unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren."  Mr.  Wes- 
ley said,  when  converted,  "I  felt  my  heart  strangely 
warmed"  There  is  a  new  direction  given  to  the  will. 
The  convert  will  ask,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me 
to  do?" 

5.  Its  Necessity.— -None  can  go  to  heaven  unless  they 
are  made  holy.  "  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and 
of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Purity  is  a  necessary  qualification  to  enjoy 
heaven.  If  a  sinner  were  lifted  to  heaven,  he  would 
be  blind  to  its  beauties,  deaf  to  its  songs,  and  dead  to 
its  joys.  While  malice  remains  in  the  devil's  nature, 
were  he  admitted  into  heaven,  it  would  be  a  place  of 
torment.  So  a  wicked  man  would  meet  hell  in  the 
midst  of  heaven,  so  long  as  he  carries  within  him  sin, 
for  sin  kindles  the  fires  of  hell  in  the  soul.  "  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

V.  Witness  of  the  Spirit. 
"  By  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  I  mean  an  inward  im- 
pression on  the  soul,  whereby  the  Spirit  of  God  im- 
mediately and  directly  witnesses  to  my  spirit  that  I 
am  a  child  of  G6d;  that  Jesus  Christ  hath  loved  me 
and  given  himself  for  me;  that  all  my  sins  are  blotted 
out,  and  I,>pven  I.  am  reconciled  to  God." — John 
Wesley. 


106  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Proofs. — "  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that 
we  are  the  children  of  God."  (Rom.  viii.  1G.)  "He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  himself."  (1  John  v.  10.) 
"  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your 
hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."  (Gal.  iv.  G.)  "  The  love  of  God  is 
shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Eom.  v.  5.)  "  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance."     (Gal.  v.  22,  23.) 

Note. 

Can  a  Man  Know  that  he  is  a  Christian?  Method- 
istic  teaching  answers,  Yes.  Mr.  Wesley  says:  "The 
soul  intimately  and  evidently  perceives  when  it  loves, 
delights,  and  rejoices  in  God,  as  when  it  loves  and  de- 
lights in  any  thing.  I  love  and  delight  in  God,  there- 
fore I  am  a  child  of  God."  The  Bible  furnishes  cer- 
tain marks  of  being  a  Christian.  First,  there  is  the 
love  of  God  "  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  The  believer  feels,  knows,  is  conscious  that  he 
loves  God;  "therefore,"  he  says,  "I  am  a  child  of 
God."  Mr.  Wesley  says  when  he  was  converted  he 
"felt  his  heart  strangely  warmed."  We  are  just  as  con- 
scious of  the  warming  influence  of  love  as  we  are  of  a 
fire  in  a  room,  or  of  the  genial  beams  of  the  sun  break- 
ing through  the  clouds  on  a  cold  day,  and  shining 
upon  us.  Love  is  likened  to  fire,  and  fire  is  something 
that  can  be  sensibly  felt.  Secondly,  fraternal  love  is 
a  mark  of  a  Christian.  The  believer  feels  that  he 
loves  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity; 
therefore  he  concludes,  "  I  am  a  child  of  God."  "  We 
know  that  Ave  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  be- 
cause we  love  the  brethren.'"  Brotherly  love  is  adduced 
as  a  proof  of  having  passed  from  death  to  life.  Again. 
"He  that  loveth  his  brother  abideth  in  the  light." 

"  Now.  there  are  some  things  that  we  know.     When 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  107 

a  man  is  enraged,  he  knows  it;  and  other  people  gen- 
erally know  it,  tooi  When  a  man  is  full  of  spirit,  he 
usually  knows  it.  When  a  man  has  the  inspiration 
of  ambition,  and  he  is  a  fiery  and  energetic  man,  he 
knows  that.  A  man  knows  whether  he  is  in  distress; 
he  knows  whether  he  is  eager;  he  knows  whether  he 
is  forceful  or  mild.  A  man  knows  whether  it  is  his 
pleasure  to  do  good,  or  whether  he  does  it  graciously. 
These  things  are  within  the  sphere  of  positive  knowl- 
edge. A  man  knows  Whether  he  joys  or  whether  he 
sorrows.  A  man  knows  whether  he  loves  or  not;  for 
if  he  does  not  know  that  he  loves,  he  does  not  love, 
and  he  may  be  sure  of  it.  There  are  some  things  that 
are  like  fire;  and  what  would  you  say  of  one  who 
should  put  his  hand  in  the  fire,  and  take  it  out  slowly, 
look  at  it  deliberately,  and  say,  '  On  the  whole,  I  think 
it  burns  ?  '  Men  know  what  is  evil.  They  know  what 
is  good.  All  the  recognized  things  within  the  sphere 
of  knowledge  they  know  with  positiveness — with  all 
the  positiveness  that  is  required;  nor  does  it  necessa- 
rily infer  conceit. 

"  Take  notice,  then,  in  regard  to  this  witness,  that 
ight  is  thrown  upon  the  method  of  it.  We  do  not 
have  this  witness  borne  in  upon  us  in  consequence  of 
any  actions  of  our  own,  standing  upon  which  we  rea- 
son to  it  ourselves.  It  is  not  the  result  of  retrospect. 
It  is  not  from  any  estimate  that  we  form  of  our  moral 
worth.  The  soul's  spontaneous  affinity  for  God  being 
disclosed  in  us  becomes  itself  the  evidence.  Wo  find 
ourselves  possessed  of  a  certain  enthusiasm.  AVe  are 
lifted  up,  fired  with  an  unusual  experience;  not  a  su- 
perhuman experience,  and  yet  an  experience  transcend- 
ing all  ordinary  experience;  and  the  nature  of  it  is 


108  The  Methodist  Armor. 

that  of  love.  It  is  an  experience  which,  acting  in  love, 
draws  us  by  elective  affinities  to  the  great  Source  and 
fountain  of  love,  as  well  as  of  wisdom  and  power — 
God(;  and  this  condition  of  the  soul  which  produces 
filial  love  is  the  sign  of  God's  influence  upon  us.  It 
is  the  witness  of  the  Spirit." 

VI.  Holiness,  or  Sanctification. 
"  Sanctification  is  that  work  of  God's  grace  by  which 
we  are  renewed  after  the  image  of  God,  set  apart  for 
his  service,  and  enabled  to  die  unto  sin  and  live  unto 
righteousness.  It  comprehends  all  the  graces  of  knowl- 
edge, faith,  repentance,  love,  humility,  zeal,  and  pa- 
tience, and  the  exercise  of  them  toward  God  and  man." 
— E.  Watson. 

Proofs. — "  The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly  ;  and  I 
pray  God  your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blame- 
less." (1  Thess.  v.  23.)  "This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanc- 
tification." (1  Thess.  iv.  3.)  "As  he  who  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so 
be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation."  (1  Pet.  i.  15.)  "Who 
gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  (Tit. 
ii.  14.)  "  We  are  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus 
Christ."  (Heb.  x.  10.)  "  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect."  (1  John 
iv.  17.) 

Notes. 
1.  The  Nature  of  Holiness. — It  is  the  conformity  of 
the  heart  and  life  to  the  law  of  God.  The  casting  out 
of  those  inbred  sins,  the  purification  of  the  moral  nat- 
ure, and  the  restoration  of  the  image  of  God,  so  that 
the  soul  is  all  glorious  within,  having  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit — "love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance."  It  implies 
the  consecration  of  the  whole  body,  the  whole  heart, 
the  whole  spirit,  the  whole  mind,  property,  influence, 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  109 

family — all  to  the  service  of  God.  Sanctification 
brings  the  intellect  of  the  Christian  into  captivity  to 
Christ,  so  that  he  thinks  for  him;  puts  the  love  of 
God  in  his  heart,  so  that  he  is  unselfish  and  benefi- 
cent; the  life  of  righteousness  into  his  conscience,  so 
that  the  law  of  right  is  his  rule;  the  life  of  obedience 
into  his  will,  so  that  it  is  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the 
will  of  the  Father. 

2.  When  is  it  Attainable? — It  is  a  work  commencing 
in  and  carried  on  after  conversion.  It  is  a  second  bless- 
ing, in  harmony  icith,  yet  separate  from,  and  subse- 
quent to,  the  work  of  conversion.  There  may  be  rare 
exceptions  to  this  statement.  The  Catholic  Church 
teaches  that  sanctification  with  some  is  attained  after 
death  through  the  fires  of  purgatory.  The  Calvinists, 
that  it  can  be  attained  only  in  the  article  of  death.  The 
Methodists  maintain  that  it  may  be  attained  soon  after 
conversion  and  enjoyed  during  life.  All  agree,  then, 
that  holiness — perfect  love,  sanctification — is  absolutely 
necessary  as  a  qualification  for  heaven.  The  differ- 
ence is  simply  in  the  time  of  its  attainment.  The  Ar- 
minian  view  is  unquestionably  correct  and  scriptural. 
Our  doctrine  hereby  elevates  the  plane  of  Christian 
experience  immeasurably  higher  than  the  other  view. 
The  Catholic  doctrine  that  men  are  sanctified  in  pur- 
gatory is  simply  absurd.  To  send  a  soul  to  hell  to 
purify  it,  how  ridiculous!  Why  is  not  the  devil  pu- 
rified? He  has  been  in  hell  long  enough  to  be  very 
pure,  if  that  be  the  place  of  purification.  The  Calvin- 
istic  theory  has  no  scriptural  foundation.  There  is  no 
virtue  in  the  mere  act  of  dying  to  sanctify  the  soul.     . 

3.  That  sanctification  is  attainable  during  life  will 
be  seen:   (1)  Because  God  wills  if.     "For  this  is  tin1 


1 10  The  Methodist  A  i  wor. 

will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification."  God  wills  our 
sanctification  just  as  truly  and  sincerely  as  he  wills  the 
salvation  of  sinners,  or  any  other  desirable  thing. 
There  can  be  no  higher  law  than  the  will  of  God.  (2) 
Because  God  commands  it.  "  Be  ye  therefore  perfect, 
e"\  en  as  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven  is  perfect."  "  Be 
perfect " — not  in  knowledge  or  power  as  God,  but  in 
love  and  holiness.  Be  perfect — not  in  degree  as  God, 
but  in  quality,  in  kind.  (3)  Because  this  great  blessing 
is  promised.  "  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon 
you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean:  from  all  your  filthiness, 
and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I  cleanse  you."  (Ezek. 
xxxvi.  25. )  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  cleanse  us  from  all  un- 
righteousness." (1  John  i.  9.)  "The  very  God  of 
peace  sanctify  you  wholly."  Does  not  this  passage 
mean  entire  sanctification?  Do  Ave  have  to  wait  till 
death  for  this  ?  Then,  why  does  the  apostle  pray  that 
your  "body  be  preserved  blameless?"  (4)  Because 
the  possessio7i  of  holiness  is  eminently  desirable.  Holi- 
ness makes  us  like  God.  It  enables  us  to  enjoy  much 
of  heaven  while  on  earth.  It  makes  us  more  useful. 
It  gives  us  meetness  for  heaven.  The  Methodist  Church 
was  raised  up  to  spread  holiness  over  the  land.  For 
this  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  streamed  from  the 
cross.  For  this  the  Holy  Spirit  is  sent  into  the  world. 
For  this  the  lamp  of  the  Bible  shines.  For  this  the 
gospel  is  preached.  For  this  the  world  stands,  the 
sun  shines,  the  earth  yields  her  increase,  and  judg- 
ment is  delayed.  For  this  God  employs  the  various 
agencies  of  the  Church.  "  For  he  gave  some  apostles, 
and  some  prophets,  and  somje  evangelists,  and  some 
pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,'' 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Method/sin.  Ill 

4.  Ho w  is  this  Blessed  State  to  be  Attained? — (1)  It 
is  manifest  that  there  must  be  a  deep  and  abiding 
conviction  of  its  need.  No  one  will  seek  it  till  he 
feels  it  to  be  a  duty  and  a  great  blessing.  Reflect 
upon  the  reasonableness  and  glory  of  such  a  state. 
Can  any  thing  less  than  the  whole  heart  satisfy  God? 
Supreme  love  to  God  is  the  glory  of  man.  (2)  There 
must  be  a  definite  and  fixed  purpose  to  seek  it  per- 
severingly,  and  by  all  possible  means.  (3)  It  must 
be  sought  by  entire  consecration  of  yourself  and  all 
you  have  to  God.  Consecrating  the  hands  to  work 
for  God,  the  feet  to  walk  in  the  path  of  obedience, 
the  tongua  to  speak  truthfully  and  lovingly,  the  ears 
to  hear  what  is  good  and  pure,  the  eyes  to  see  what 
is  best  in  men,  the  heart  to  be  a  vessel  full  of  Chris- 
tian love,  the  mind  to  reflect  the  glory  of  God  as  the 
moon  the  light  of  the  sun,  the  property  possessed  to 
advance  the  cause  of  God.  (4)  It  must  be  sought  in 
the  exercise  of  implicit  faith — faith  steadily  believing 
in  the  ample  ability,  willingness,  and  readiness  of  God 
to  bestow  sanctifying  grace.  Nothing  is  hard  with' 
the  omnipotent  God.  He  that,  through  the  sun,  fills 
the  earth  with  the  glory  of  summer  and  the  wealth  of 
autumn,  can  fill  your  heart  with  the  summer  of  divine 
grace.  The  ocean  floats  magnificent  ships  as  easily 
as  the  fisherman's  cork;  the  earth  carries  massive 
mountains  as  easily  as  mole-hills.  It  is  as  easy  for 
God  to  give  sanctifying  as  justifying  grace.  Throw 
yourself  into  the  ocean  of  divine  love,  and  be  filled 
with  all  the  fullness  of  God. 

VII.  The  Possibility  of  Final  Apostasy. 
The  Statement  of  the  Argument. — It  is  possible  for  a 
person  who  has  been  truly  regenerated  to  fall  awnv 


life  The  Methodist  Armor. 

from  sucli  a  gracious  state  and  be  finally  lost.  This 
doctrine  is  clearly  taught  in  the  Old  Testament  Script- 
ures. 

Proofs. — "  But  when  the  righteous  turneth  away  from  his  right- 
eousness, and  committeth  iniquity,  and  doeth  according  to  all  the 
ahominations  that  the  wicked  man  doeth,  shall  he  live?  All  the 
righteousness  that  he  hath  done  shall  not  he  mentioned;  in  his  tres- 
pass that  he  hath  trespassed,  and  in  his  sin  that  he  hath  sinned,  in 
them  shall  he  die.  .  .  .  When  a  righteous  man  turneth  away  from 
his  righteousness,  and  committeth  iniquity,  and  dieth  in  them;  for 
the  iniquity  that  he  hath  done,  shall  he  die."     (Ezek.  xxxiii.  12-20.) 

Let  the  reader  observe:  1.  The  persons  referred  to 
in  this  passage  are  truly  righteous  men.  Mr.  Edwards 
concedes  that  a  righteous  man  in  Scripture  phrase 
denotes  a  "godly  man."  2.  The  drift  of  the  whole 
passage  shows  that  these  righteous  persons  may  to- 
tally turn  away  and  perish  in  their  sins.  3.  Man's 
life  on  earth  is  a  period  of  trial.  He  has  all  the  en- 
dowments necessary  to  make  him  a  free  and  respon- 
sible agent.  In  this  character  there  is  no  time  on 
earth  when  he  is  not  subject  to  change  of  moral  char- 
acter. As  a  sinner,  he  may  repent,  reform,  and  be- 
come a  good  man  all  along  the  path  of  his  probation. 
There  is  no  point  along  this  probationary  road  up  to 
the  hour  of  death  where  he  may  not  repent  and  be- 
lieve; or,  being  good,  mag  relapse  into  sin  and  perish. 
If  this  be  not  true,  then  it  must  follow  that  man  ceases 
to  be  a  free  agent. 

Second  Proposition. — The  possibility  of  total  and 
final  apostasg  is  expressly  declared  in  the  New  Testament. 

Proofs. — "  For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  enlight- 
ened, and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  113 

■gain  unto  repentance;  seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of 
God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame."     (Ileb.  vi.  4-8.) 

Let  the  reader  observe,  these  persons  were  Chris- 
tians of  deep  experience.  1.  They  were  "enlightened? 
2.  "Tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift."  This  may  mean  the 
experience  of  a  gracious  pardon.  3.  "Made  partakers 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  includes  the  work  of  regen- 
eration, the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  his  in- 
dwelling influence.  4.  "Tasted  of  the  good,  word  of 
God."  This  means  the  Christian's  relish  and  comfort 
in  reading  the  Scriptures.  5.  "Tasted  of  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come."  By  this  we  understand  the  delight- 
ful anticipation  of  heaven.  Here  are  all  the  marks 
and  fruits  of  experienced  Christians.  But  these  per- 
sons may  fall  away  and  finally  perish.  The  whole 
drift  of  the  passage  teaches  this.  The  Greek  scholars 
agree  that  the  term  "  if  "  is  not  in  the  original  pa'ssage. 
Mr.  Wesley  proves  that  it  is  not  there,  and  says  it 
should  read:  "It  is  impossible  to  renew  again  unto 
repentance  those  who  have  been  once  enlightened  and 
have  turned  away  and  renounced  the  Saviour — the 
only  refuge  for  sinners."  The  fall  contemplated  is 
total  and  final.  And  the  possibility  of  such  a  fall  is 
borne  on  the  very  face  of  the  passage. 

The  same  doctrine  is  taught  by  our  Saviour. 

Proof. — "  I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  husbandman. 
Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit,  he  taketh  it  away.  ...  I 
am  the  vine;  ye  are  the  branches.  ...  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me,  lie 
is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered ;  and  men  gather  them, 
and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  are  burned."     (John  xv.  1-6.) 

Observe:   1.    The    persons    here    spoken   of    were^ 
branches  in  the  vine— that  is,  in  Christ.     2.  Some  of 
these  branches  were  cut  off  because  they  did  not  hea-> 
8 


114  The  Methodist  Armor. 

fruit.  3.  And  being  severed  from  the  vine — the  only 
source  of  life— they  hopelessly  died,  withered,  dried 
up.  For  further  proof-texts,  see  Luke  xi.  12;  Heb. 
x.  26. 

Third  Proposition. — The  possibility  of  final  apos- 
tasy appears  from  the  repeated  learnings  against  such 
danger,  and  the  earnest  exhortations  to  Christian  faith- 
fulness. 

Proofs.—"  Because  of  unbelief  they  were  broken  off,  and  thou 
standest  by  faith.  Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear;  for  if  God  spared 
not  the  natural  branches,  take  heed,  lest  he  also  spare  not  thee."  (Rom. 
xi.  20,  21.)  "Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there  be  in  any  of  you  an 
evil  heart  of  unbelie'f  in  departing  from  the  living  0  xl.  But  exhort 
one  another  daily,  while  it  is  called  to-day ;  lest  any  of  you  be  hard- 
ened through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin.  For  we  are  made  partakers 
of  Christ  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our  confidence  steadfast  unto 
the  end."  (Heb.  iii.  12-14.)  "Let  us  therefore  fear,  lest,  a  prom- 
ise being  left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to 
come  short  of  it."     (Heb.  iv.  1.) 

Observe:  1.  All  these  exhortations  to  fear,  to  be  dil- 
igent, to  put  forth  effort,  undoubtedly  imply  the  p>ossi- 
bility  of  failure.  It  is  a  palpable  absurdity  to  exhort 
men  to  hold  on  to  that  which  it  is  impossible  for  them 
to  lose.  A  Christian  can  or  cannot  fall  from  grace. 
If  he  cannot  fall,  then  the  exhortation  not  to  fall  is 
absurd  and  senseless.  Suppose  a  man  on  some  high 
mountain  is  chained  to  a  rock  with  iron  fetters  that 
could  not  be  broken;  and  another  should  stand  off 
shouting,  "Take  heed  lest  you  fall! '"  would  not  the  ex- 
hortation be  ridiculous  nonsense?  The  application 
is  eas3T. 

Fourth  Proposition. — The  possibility  of  falling  from 
grace  is  evident  from  examples  contained  in  the  Scriptures. 

Proof. — "Holding  faith,  and  a  good  conscience;    which  soidp 


Prominent  Doctrines  of  Methodism.  115 

having  put  away,  concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck;  of  whom 
is  Ilymeneus  and  Alexander,  whom  I  have  delivered  unto  Satan, 
that  they  may  learn  not  to  blaspheme."     (1  Tim.  i.  19,  20.) 

Observe:  1.  These  persons  once  had  faith  and  a 
good  conscience,  else  they  could  not  have  wrecked  or 
cast  away  what  they  never  had.  2.  They  made  ship- 
wreck of  this  saving  faith.  3.  What  is  shipwrecked  is 
entirely  lost.  A  wrecked  vessel  is  totally  ruined. 
Angels  fell  from  their  original  state  of  celestial  holi- 
ness. Our  first  parents  fell  from  their  original  puri- 
ty. Judas  fell  from  his  apostleship  by  transgressions. 
King  Saul  was  once  a  good  man.  "  God  gave  him  an- 
other heart,"  but  he  fatally  backslid,  and  "  died  for 
his  transgressions  which  he  committed  against  the 
Lord."  Solomon  was  clearly,  at  one  time,  a  saintly 
man,  but  he  evidently  apostatized,  and  died,  said  Jo- 
sephus,  "  ingloriously." 

The  dogma,  "once  in  grace,  always  in  grace,"  is  a 
very  fatal  error.  A  man  gets  a  ticket,  sits  down  in  the 
cars,  folds  his  hands,  and  says  to  himself:  "Well,  I 
bought  my  ticket,  I  am  in  the  train,  and  now  I  will  go 
to  sleep.  It  is  the  engineer's  business  to  run  the  train 
and  watch  out  for  danger.  It  is  the  business  of  the 
conductor  to  land  me  safely  at  my  journey's  end.  I 
have  nothing  to  do  but  to  sleep."  This  is  about  the 
way  men  reason  who  believe  in  final  perseverance. 
And  anyone  can  see  the  deadening  and  sleep-produc- 
ing influence  the  doctrine  has  upon  the  human  heart. 
But  the  Bible,  instead  of  encouraging  such  a  state, 
commands  us  to  Watch — work  out  your  own  salvation — 
give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure. 
Hundreds  of  warnings  stand  all  through  the  Bible 
like  mountains  with  a  gloomy  grandeur — stern,  por- 


UG  The  Methodist  Armor. 

tentous,  awful,  and  sublime,  as  Mount  Sinai  when  the 
Lord  descended  upon  it  in  fire,  storm-clouds,  and 
thunders,  that  shook  the  hills  of  the  earth,  "that  the 
fear  of  God  may  be  upon  us,  and  that  we  sin  not." 
They  sternly  rebuke  the  folly  of  supposing  that  be- 
cause God  has  delivered  us  from  our  former  sins,  we 
need  have  no  anxiety  about  our  final  salvation. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ORDERS  IN  THE  METHODIST  MINISTRY. 
Methodism  recognizes  but  two  orders  in  the  min- 
istry— the  deacon  and  presbyter.  It  also  recognizes  a 
third  office — that  of  bishop — which  is  presbyterial  in 
order,  but  episcopal  in  office.  Methodism  occupies 
medium  ground  between  prelacy  on  the  one  hand  and 
parity  of  the  ministry  on  the  other.  Soman  Catho- 
lics and  the  Episcopalians  believe  in  three  orders  — 
those  of  bishop,  presbyter,  and  deacon.  Presbyte- 
rians, Baptists,  and  Congregationalists  maintain  one 
order  only — that  of  the  presbyter.  We  believe  that 
two  orders  are  recognized  in  the  Bible. 

I.  Deacons. 
The  deaconship  is  a  subordinate  grade  and  ordei 
of  the  ministry.  Deacons  among  Presbyterians  and 
Baptists  are  simply  lay-officers,  but  among  Methodists 
they  are  a  subordinate  order  of  ministers.  Methodism 
here  is  on  scriptural  ground.  Stephen  was  a  deacon, 
one  of  the  first  seven.  He  was  a  powerful  preacher, 
"being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  When  the  Jews 
heard  his  sermon  which  is  recorded  in  Acts  vii.,  "they 
were  cut  to  the  heart."  He  was  duly  ordained  by  the 
apostles.     Philip  was  another  deacon,  and  a  preacher. 


Orders  in  the  Methodist  Ministry.  117 

"Then  Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria  and 
preached  Christ  unto  them."  (Acts  viii.  5.)  He  had 
a  great  levival  at  that  place.  "But  when  they  be- 
lieved Philip,  preaching  the  things  concerning  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they 
were  baptized,  both  men  and  women."  "And  there 
was  great  joy  in  that  city."  Philip  expounded  the 
Scriptures  to  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  and  administered 
to  him  the  rite  of  baptism.  The  point  we  make  is 
that  deacons  are  ministers,  which  is  clearly  proved  by 
the  above  citations  of  Scripture.  A  Methodist  deacon 
can  perform  all  the  ministerial  functions  of  an  elder, 
except  that  of  consecrating  the  elements  of  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

II.  Eldees. 

1.  Presbyter,  or  elder,  is  a  higher  order  and  office  of 
the  ministry.  It  designates  an  order  of  men  whose 
duties  are  to  preach,  to  administer  the  ordinances,  and 
watch  over  the  Church.  "  The  elders  which  are  among 
you  I  exhort,  who  am  also  an  elder.  Feed  the  flock 
of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the  oversight 
thereof."     (1  Pet.  v.  1,  2.) 

2.  Elders  have  authority  of  governing  the  Churches. 
"  Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted  worthy  of 
double  honor."  (1  Tim.  v.  17.)  The  people  are  ex- 
horted to  "  obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  them, 
and  submit  themselves."     (Heb.  xiii.  17.) 

3.  Elders  have  the  power  of  ordination.  Timothy  was 
ordained  by  "the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  pres- 
bytery" or  body  of  elders.  (1  Tim.  iv.  14.)  They 
were  associates  of  ecclesiastical  authority  with  the 
fipostles.  The  decrees  passed  at  Jerusalem  to  regu- 
late the  Churches  "were  ordained  of  the  apostles  and 


118  The  Methodist  Armor. 

elders."    (See  Acts  xv.  2-6,  22,  23;  xvi.  4;  1  Tim.  v.  17.) 

As  all  Churches  agree  that  the  eldership  is  an  eccle- 
siastical order,  it  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  longer  on 
this  subject. 

III.  Bishops. 

"  Bishops  are  not  a  distinct  order,  but  officers,  elected 
by  the  body  of  elders  for  general  superintendency, 
and  for  greater  convenience  in  regard  to  ordination, 
and  to  secure  unity  and  greater  efficiency  in  adminis- 
tration; and  this  was  unquestioned  for  hundreds  of 
years.  Now,  Methodism  conforms  to  this  primitive 
arrangement."  "  Bishops  and  presbyters,  or  elders, 
were  originally  the  same,  but  as  Jerome  says,  one  of 
the  elders  "«yas  chosen  as  a  president,  and  called  bish- 
op by  way  of  distinction,  and  some  of  the  functions 
pertaining  to  the  whole  body  of  the  presbyters — as 
ordination,  /or  example — were  committed  to  him,  and, 
like  the  narje,  confined  to  him.  Thus  he  became  primus 
inter  pares,  *irst  among  equals." — Bishop  McTyeire. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  MODE  OF  BAPTISM. 

The  essenfo  al  elements  of  baptism  are — 

1.  It  mupt  be  administered  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2.  It  nrj~t  be  performed  by  a  gospel  minister.  No 
others  e/o  commissioned  to  baptize  but  ministers  of 
Christ. 

3.  Tp  3  element  to  be  used  must  be  water  only.  This 
'■>  Uy  ''.s  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures. 

\.    The  person  baptized  must  be  a  proper  subject. 
^e  conclude,  then,  that  water  applied  in  the  name 


The  Mode  oj  Baptism.  119 

of  the  Trinity,  by  a  gospel  minister  to  a  proper  candi- 
date, is  Christian  baptism.  "Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach 
all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Matt, 
xxviii.  19.) 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  definition  that  the 
mode  of  baptism  is  not  one  of  its  essential  elements; 
that  all  the  essentials  of  baptism  will  be  preserved 
when  administered  by  the  mode  of  pouring,  sprink- 
ling, or  immersion.  Therefore,  the  Methodist  Church 
holds  that  the  three  modes  are  equally  valid,  but  that 
the  weight  of  evidence  is  in  favor  of  pouring  or  sprink- 
ling. Pouring  and  sprinkling  are  really  only  one  mode, 
they  being  alike  as  to  mode,  the  difference  being  the 
freer  use  of  water  in  pouring.  The  terms  are  bor- 
rowed from  the  Bible.  "  /  will  pour  out  my  Spirit; 
and  then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you." 

"We  remarked  that  the  weight  of  evidence  is  in  favor 
of  pouring  or  sprinkling.  Eeal  baptism  is  the  regen- 
erating influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart. 
Water  baptism  is  the  sign  of  this  grace  in  the  heart. 
That  mode  which  is  most  like  the  mode  of  the  Spirit's 
operation  is  the  true  one.  How  does  the  Spirit  come 
upon  the  soul?  Scripture  teaches  us  on  this  point. 
"  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty."  (Isa. 
xliv.  3.)  "  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  clean."  (Ezek.  xxxvi.  25.)  Thus, 
when  Peter  was  addressing  the  company  of  Corne- 
lius, "  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard," 
and  "  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  (Acts  x.  44,  47.)  Then,  Peter  bap- 
tized those  on  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  was  poured  out. 
Now,  as  the  Holy  Spirit  was  poured  upon  the  people 


120  The  Methodist  Armw. 

it  is  almost  certain  that  Peter  poured  water  upon  them 
as  the  most  fitting  mode  of  baptism.  The  sign  as  to 
mode  would  be  like  the  thing  signified,  and  the  thing 
signified  was  poured  out.  Again,  it  is  said  in  refer- 
ence to  Christ's  baptism,  "  The  heavens  were  opened 
unto  him,  and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending 
like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  him."  When  God  shows 
how  he  baptizes,  the  element  descends  upon  the  subject. 
Bat  immersion  requires  that  the  subject  descend— fall 
upon  —  the  element.  The  mode  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
baptism  is  pouring,  applying  the  Spirit  to  the  soul; 
and  water  baptism,  as  a  sign  of  this,  should  be  poured, 
so  as  to  make  the  sign  correspond  with  the  thing  sig- 
nified. But  there  is  no  resemblance  between  immer- 
sion, applying  the  candidate  to  water  and  covering 
him  up  in  it,  and  the  pouring  out  the  Spirit  upon  the 
soul.  The  Spirit  is  shed  upon  us  as  rain  upon  the 
earth. 

Dr.  Pope,  a  Wesleyan  minister  of  England,  says: 
"  There  are  many  considerations  which  lead  us  to  re- 
gard affusion,  or  sprinkling,  as  the  ordained  form  of 
the  rite.  The  catholic  design  of  the  gospel  suggests 
that  the  simplest  and  most  universally  practicable  or- 
dinance would  be  appointed.  Again,  the  most  impor- 
tant realities,  of  which  baptism  is  only  the  sign,  are 
such  as  sprinkling,  or  affusion,  indicates.  The  blood 
of  the  atonement  was  sprinkled  on  the  people  and  on 
the  mercy-seat;  and  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are 
generally  illustrated  by  the  pouring  of  water  and  the 
anointing  " 

Richard  Watson,  in  his  Institutes,  says:  "It  is  sat 
isfactory  to  discover  that  all  attempts  made  to  impos( 
upon  Christians  a  practice  (immersion)  repulsive  tc 


The  Mode  of  Baptism.  121 

the  feeling,  dangerous  to  the  health,  and  offensive  to 
delicacy,  is  destitute  of  all  scriptural  authority  and  of 
really  primitive  practice."  Nevertheless,  our  Church, 
believing  that  the  "  essence  of  the  rite "  consists  in 
applying  water  to  the  body  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity, 
says:  "Let  every  adult  person,  and  the  parents  of 
every  child  to  be  baptized,  have  the  choice  either  of 
immersion,  sprinkling,  or  pouring."  Dr.  Raymond 
says:  "No  Church,  as  such,  except  the  Baptists,  re- 
quires any  particular  form  of  baptism  as  a  sine  qua 
non  condition  of  membership."  So  it  will  be  seen 
that  Methodists  are  not  alone  in  allowing  the  choice 
of  modes. 

There  is  no  command  to  baptize  by  immersion.  The 
duty  of  baptizing  with  water  is  commanded,  but,  like 
the  Lord's  Supper,  the  mode  of  its  administration  is 
left  undecided  by  any  positive  precept.  The  follow- 
ing Bible  examples  lead  us  to  believe  that  the  apos- 
tles administered  it  by  pouring  or  sprinkling: 

I.  Baptism  of  Paul. 

"And  Ananias  went  his  way,  and  entered  into  the  house;  and  put- 
ting his  hands  on  him  said,  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord,  even  Jesus,  that 
appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  earnest,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou 
mightest  receive  thy  sight,  and  he  fdled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
immediately  there  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  heen  scales;  and  he 
received  sight  forthwith,  and  arose,  and  was  haptized."  (Acts  ix. 
17,  18.) 

Notes. 
1.  Note  that  the  rising  up  and  baptizing  are  closely 
connected.  Dr.  Armstrong  says:  "  In  the  original  the 
language  is  much  more  definite  than  it  appears  in  the 
English  version."  On  the  expressions  "  arise  and  be 
baptized"  (literally,  standing  up,  be  baptized)  and 
"he  arose  and  was  baptized"  (literally,  standing  up. 


122  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ho  was  baptized),  Dr.  J.  H.  Bice  remarks  correctly: 
•'According  to  the  idiom  of  the  Greek  language  these 
two  words  do  not  make  two  different  commands,  as 
the  English  reader  would  suppose,  when  he  reads 
(1)  ' arise,'  (2)  '  be  baptized,'  but  the  participle  (arise, 
literally  standing)  simply  modifies  the  signification 
of  the  verb,  or  rather  is  used  to  complete  the  action  of 
the  verb;  and  therefore,  instead  of  warranting  the 
opinion  that  Paul  rose  up,  went  out,  and  was  im- 
mersed, it  definitely  and  precisely  expresses  his  post- 
ure when  he  received  baptism." 

2.  "  Three  days  had  he  been  sunk  in  feebleness  and 
fasting,  when  he  '  arose  and  was  baptized,'  and  then 
'  received  meat  and  was  strengthened.'  Strange  that 
where  every  movement  is  detailed  with  wonderful  mi- 
nuteness, no  going  forth  in  his  weakness  to  a  river 
could  have  been  mentioned.  The  whole  air  of  it  is 
that  he  just  stood  up  from  his  prostration  in  order  to 
be  baptized  while  upon  his  feet." — Dr.  Whedon. 

II.  Baptism  of  the  Jailek. 

"And  the)  spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  that 
weie  in  his  house.  And  he  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the  night, 
and  washed  their  stripes;  and  was  baptized,  he  and  all  his,  straight- 
way."   (Acis  xvi.  32,  33.) 

Notes. 

1.  Notice  a  few  points  in  this  case.  The  jailer  and 
his  family  were  baptized  at  the  hour  of  midnight  in 
the  prison.  "And  he  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the 
night,  and  washed  their  stripes;  and  was  baptized,  he 
and  his,  straightway.'''' 

2.  The  baptism  took  place  in  the  prison.  "We  have  the 
authority  of  the  apostles  that  they  did  not  go  out  of 
the  prison.     Paul  refused  to  leave  the  prison  privily. 


The  Mode  of  Baptism.  123 

He  demanded  that  the  magistrates  themselves  should 
take  them  out  as  publicly  as  they  had  put  them  in.  Now, 
who  can  believe  that  Paul  had  gone  out  to  some  river 
at  midnight — gone  privily,  secretly — and  immersed 
the  parties  and  then  slipped  back  into  the  prison,  and 
demanded  a  public  and  honorable  discharge  from  the 
prison  after  he  had  been  already  out?  Can  anyone 
believe  that  Paul  was  capable  of  such  deception  as 
this?  The  refusal  of  the  apostles  to  go  out  privily 
expressly  implied  that  they  had  not  been  out  the  night 
before.  Their  language,  if  they  had  already  been  out, 
was  based  on  concealment  and  equivocation.  The 
magistrates  might  have  fairly  replied:  "With  what 
face  can  these  men  pretend  that  they  will  not  go  out 
without  formal  and  public  dismissal,  when  they  have 
already  gone  out  of  their  own  accord,  and  are  now  in 
prison  only  by  voluntarily  imprisoning  themselves?  " 
No  such  hypocrisy  can  be  charged  against  them;  the 
conclusion  is  inevitable  that  they  had  not  been  out  of 
prison-bounds. 

3.  Now,  observe  another  fact:  There  was  no  tank  or 
cistern  in  the  prison  where  immersion  could  be  per- 
formed. There  is  not  the  slightest  ground  for  the 
wild  supposition  that  a  Eoman  prison  was  provided 
with  any  thing  like  a  baptistry.  The  public  author- 
ity that  could  thrust  the  innocent  apostles,  all  bloody 
with  stripes,  into  the  irons  of  a  dark  dungeon  would 
not  likely  provide  baths  for  the  comfort  of  their  vic- 
tims. The  Romans  were  too  cruel  to  mitigate  the 
sufferings  of  their  prisoners.  Besides,  Philippi  was 
located  in  the  very  latitude  of  "  Snowy  Thrace,"  where 
such  things  would  not  be  needed.  A  bath  or  tank  in 
a  Roman  prison!     As  well  expect  to  find  a  piano  in 


124  The  Methodist  Armor. 

the  wigwam  of  a  flat-headed  Indian.  There  was  a 
baptism  in  the  prison,  but  most  clearly  it  was  not  by 
immersion.  To  suppose  that  the  jailer  took  his  wife 
and  family  out  of  bed  at  midnight,  and  went  in  search 
of  a  river  to  find  some  suitable  place  to  have  them 
immersed,  is  simply  absurd.  Therefore,  the  jailer 
and  his  family  were  baptized  in  the  prison,  and  hence 
by  sprinkling  or  pouring,  as  immersion  would  have 
been  impossible  under  the  circumstances. 

III.  Baptism  of  Cornelius. 

"  While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all 
them  which  heard  the  word.  And  they  of  the  circumcision  which 
believed  were  astonished,  as  many  as  came  with  Peter,  hecause  that 
on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
For  they  heard  them  speak  with  tongues,  and  magnify  God.  Then 
answered  Peter,  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not 
be  baptized,  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we? 
And  he  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
Then  prayed  they  him  to  tarry  certain  days."     (Acts  x.  44-48.) 

Note. 
The  clear  inference  is  that  Cornelius  and  his  house- 
hold were  baptized  by  pouring.  The  circumstances 
prove  this.  "  They  went  to  no  river,  they  are  not  said 
to  go  down  to  any  water,  nor  are  we  told  that  they  had 
a  bath  adapted  for  such  a  purpose  in  their  house. 
Peter's  remark  about  forbidding  water  indicates  that 
it  was  to  be  brought  to  him  for  the  purpose  of  admin- 
istering this  rite.  And,  above  all,  it  should  be  noticed 
that  when  the  apostle  saw  the  Holy  Spirit  descend- 
ing upon  them,  he  was  reminded  of  what  Christ  had 
said  of  John's  baptizing  with  Avater.  (Acts  xi.  10.) 
Whence  this  instantaneous  recollection  and  associa- 
tion of  ideas,  but  from  the  fact  that  the  mode  of  water 


The  Mode  of  Baptism.  125 

baptism  was  in  form  the  same  as  that  of  the  descent  of 
the  Holy  Ghost?  Had  either  John  or  Peter  baptized 
by  dipping,  the  narrative  and  the  allusion  would  have 
been  grossly  inconsistent,  and  calculated  to  mislead 
the  most  devout  and  clear-headed  student  of  inspira- 
tion."—Rev.  W.  Thorn. 

IV.  The  Baptism  of  the  Three  Thousand. 

"Then  Peter  said  unto  them,  Repent,  and  he  baptized  every  one 
of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and 
ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  "  Then  they  that  gladly 
received  his  word  were  baptized ;  and  the  same  day  there  were  added 
unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls."     (Acts  ii.  38,  41.) 

Notes. 

1.  That  they  were  all  actually  baptized  on  this  day 
is  evident;  and  it  is  admitted  by  our  opponents,  who 
assure  us  that  baptism  always  preceded  admission 
into  the  visible  Church.  Now,  supposing  the  twelve 
apostles  to  have  been  engaged  in  this  work,  and  sup- 
posing immersion  to  have  been  the  mode,  it  must  have 
been  a  most  laborious,  disagreeable,  if  not  an  imprac- 
ticable undertaking  to  be  accomplished  in  the  courso 
of  five  or  six  hours.  It  should  be  taken  into  the  ac- 
count, moreover,  that  at  least  twenty-four  robing- 
rooms  and  a  dozen  dipping-places  must  have  been 
obtained  for  the  purpose.  And  if  more  agents  assist- 
ed, and  lightened  the  labor  of  each,  a  proportionate 
increase  of  both  kinds  of  conveniences  must  have 
been  provided. 

2.  Now,  in  Jerusalem  itself,  there  was  neither  a 
river  nor  a  fountain  of  water.  Kedron  was  little 
better  than  the  common  sewer  of  the  city,  and  was 
dry  except  during  the  early  and  latter  rains.  Siloam 
was  only  a  spring  without  the  walls,  not  always  flow 


1 20  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ing,  the  contents  of  which  were  sometimes  sold  to  the 
people  by  measure;  and  the  pools  supplied  by  its  puny 
streams  were  either  used  for  washing  sheep  and  sim- 
ilar purposes,  rendering  them  unfit  for  ceremonial 
lustrations,  or  they  were  the  property  of  persons  not 
likely  to  lend  them  for  washing  apostate  strangers  in. 
The  water  used  for  domestic  purposes  was  obtained 
from  the  rains  of  heaven  and  preserved  in  household 
tanks,  and,  of  course,  was  guarded  with  the  utmost 
care,  and  used  with  a  rigid  economy — it  raining  there 
at  only  two  seasons  of  the  year.  It  may  be  further 
mentioned  that  the  fountain  of  Siloam  "is  the  only 
place  in  the  environs  of  Jerusalem  where  the  trav- 
eler can  moisten  his  finger,  quench  his  thirst,  and  rest 
his  head  under  the  shadow  of  the  cool  rock,  and  on 
two  or  three  tufts  of  verdure."  (Lamartine.)  That 
the  case  was  precisely  similar  in  the  time  of  the  apos- 
tles may  be  clearly  proved  by  reference  to  the  writ- 
ings of  Josephus,  their  countryman  and  contemporary. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OBJECTIONS  ANSWERED. 

I.  Buried  with  Him  in  Baptism. 

"Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Christ 
wore  baptized  into  his  death?  Therefore,  we  are  buried  with  hiiii 
by  baptism  into  death."     (Rom.  vi.  3,  4;  Col.  ii.  12.) 

Our  Baptist  friends  falsely  assume  that  the  bap- 
tism referred  to  here  means  ritual  or  water  baptism, 
whereas  it  clearly  refers  to  a  spiritual  baptism. 

"Baptized  into  Christ"  and  "baptized  in  the  name 
of  Christ "  are  two  very  distinct  things.  The  former 
means  to  be  in  the  spirit  of  Christ,  to  be  like  Christ. 


Objections  An  steered.  127 

to  be  in  Christ  as  the  branch  is  in  the  vine.  As: 
"For  by  one  Spirit  Ave  are  all  baptized  into  one  body;" 
"For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into 
Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."  These  expressions  mean 
spiritual  baptism — and  not  ritual  or  water  baptism. 
Wherever  water  baptism  is  meant  the  form  of  expres- 
sion is,  "In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son. 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  And  so  the  passage  under 
consideration  says,  "Baptized  into  Christ"  and  not  in 
the  name  of  Christ. 

The  apostle  argues  that  renunciation  of  sin  is  death 
to  sin;  that  as  Christ  died  on  the  cross,  so  the  old 
Adam  in  man  is  crucified  by  renouncing  sin.  As 
Christ  was  buried  from  the  scenes  of  external  nature 
in  the  rock-tomb,  so  the  Christian,  in  baptismal  dedi- 
cation, is  buried  from  the  world  in  Christ's  body— 
the  Church.  As  Christ  rose  into  a  new  life,  so  the 
Christian  rises  into  a  new  life  of  holiness.  No  ref- 
erence whatever  to  the  mode  of  baptism  is  found  here. 
It  is  the  sound  more  than  the  sense  that  strikes  our 
Baptist  brethren. 

The  Rev.  W.  Thorn  says:  "Mr.  Robinson,  the  Bap- 
tist historian,  gives  up  the  passage,  justly  observing 
that  Paul  could  not  have  referred  to  any  thing  like 
an  ordinary  English  interment,  as  the  persons  to  whom 
he  wrote  did  not  bury  their  dead,  but  burned  them  to 
ashes.  Other  leading  Baptist  writers  have  admitted 
that  the  original  idea  of  burying  is  not  the  lowering 
of  a  corpse  into  a  grave,  but  casting  earth  upon  it, 
and  thereby  raising  a  barrow  over  it.  Hence  the  en- 
tire argument  founded  on  these  passages  in  favor  of 
dipping  vanishes  in  a  moment." 

But  supposing  the  reference  had  been  to  the  en 


128  The  Methodist  Armor. 

tombing  of  Christ,  the  analogy  is  essentially  defect- 
ive. His  precious  body  was  carried  into  a  room  hewn 
out  of  a  rock,  and  laid  upon  a  side  bench;  a  stone 
being  rolled  not  upon  but  against  the  door,  which 
was  low  and  small.  In  this  process  there  was  not 
the  slightest  resemblance  to  dipping  a  person  under 
water,  no  more  than  when  the  body  of  Dorcas  was 
carried  up-stairs  and  laid  upon  a  bed.  And  he  must 
be  sadly  at  a  loss  for  valid  evidence  in  aid  of  immer- 
sion who  seizes  on  this  allusion  to  uphold  his  practice. 
As  a  spiritual  resurrection,  or  a  rising  to  newness 
of  life,  is  avowedly  the  result  of  this  baptism,  so,  un- 
questionably, a  spiritual  interment  must  be  supposed 
to  precede  it.  In  the  same  connection  we  are  said  to 
be  crucified  with  Christ,  and  planted  together  in  the 
likeness  of  his  death.  Surely,  this  can  refer  only  to 
a  spiritual  work  in  the  soul,  and  therefore  the  burial 
cannot  be  consistently  regarded  as  an  exception.  Mr. 
Maclean,  a  leading  Baptist,  says  that  in  consequence 
of  our  covenant  union  to  Christ  "  we  are  so  compre- 
hended in  and  counted  one  with  him  as  to  have  died 
in  his  death,  been  buried  in  his  burial,  and  raised 
again  in  his  resurrection."  Here  a  physical  simili- 
tude is  quite  out  of  the  question.  Indeed,  the  pas- 
sage literally  translated  conveys  not  the  least  idea  of 
such  a  resemblance:  "As  many  of  us  as  were  baptized 
unto  Christ  Jesus  were  baptized  unto  his  death;  there- 
fore, we  are  buried  with  him  (dia)  through  baptism 
unto  death."  Besides,  those  who  regard  this  gracious 
renovation  of  soul  as  necessarily  taking  place  at  the 
font,  or  being  the  legitimate  result  of  water  baptism, 
and  not  as  effected  by  the  Holy  .Ghost,  independent 
of  that  ordinance,  will  find  it  difficult  to  repel  the 


Objections  Answered.  129 

charge  of  advocating  the  doctrine  of  baptismal  re- 
generation." 

II.  The  Baptism  of  Christ. 
"Following  Christ  into  the  water,"  "Going  down 
into  the  liquid  grave,"  "  Being  buried  with  the  Sav- 
iour beneath  Jordan's  rolling  waves,"  are  clap-trap 
words  of  much  sound  but  of  little  sense.  If  you 
.follow  Christ  strictly  in  baptism,  you  must  wait  till 
you  are  thirty  years  old,  for  he  was  not  baptized  un- 
til he  had  reached  that  age.  What  was  the  design 
of  Christ's  baptism?  Christ  furnishes  the  answer: 
"It  becometh  us  to  fulfill  all  righteousness."  To  ful- 
fill righteousness  is  to  be  obedient  to  law.  This  was 
not  the  moral  law,  but  the  law  respecting  the  high- 
priesthood.  The  baptism  of  Christ  was  the  'public, 
formal  inauguration  and  consecration  of  him  to  his 
priestly  ministry.  He  was  just  entering  on  the  age 
of  thirty— the  age  at  which  the  Levites  began  their 
ministry  and  the  rabbis  their  course  of  teaching.  The 
consecration  of  Aaron  to  the  high-priesthood  was  by 
trashing,  anointing,  and  consecration.  Observe  how  this 
typical  law  was  completely  fulfilled  by  Christ:  (1)  He 
was  washed  by  baptism;  (2)  he  was  anointed  by  the 
Holy  Ghost;  (3)  and  then  consecrated  to  the  priestly 
office.  Thus  we  see  that  Christ  was  "a  High-priest;" 
that  he  was  "called  of  God"  to  this  office  as  was  Aaron; 
that  he  was  ordained  and  consecrated  to  the  office  of 
"High -priest  forevermore,  that  he  might  offer  both 
gifts  and  sacrifice  for  sins." 

III.  John  Baptizing  in  Jordan. 
1.  It  is  believed  that  immersing  persons  in  Jordau 
was  altogether  impracticable. 


130  The  Methodist  Armor. 

The  Rev.  W.  Thorn  says:  "The  baptizing  spot  hat 
been  visited  and  minutely  examined  by  many  intelli- 
gent  and  credible  travelers,  who  tell  us  that  here  "  th* 
river  Jordan  is  of  considerable  width,  the  water  tur- 
bulent, the  bottom  rocky,  the  edges  of  the  bank  ab- 
rupt, and  the  depth  about  six  or  seven  feet  close  tc 
the  shore."  Volney  says,  "  Its  breadth  between  the  twc 
principal  lakes,  in  few  places,  exceeds  sixty  or  eighty 
feet,  but  its  depth  is  about  ten  or  twelve."  Monro  says, 
"  The  river  here,  at  the  baptizing  spot,  forms  an  an- 
gle, etc.;  the  width  of  it  might  be  thirty-five  yards, 
and  the  stream  was  running  with  the  precipitous  fury 
of  a  rapid;  the  bank  was  steep,  shelving  off  abruptly 
into  deep  water."  Thompson  says,  "It  is  exceeding 
deep,  even  at  the  edge  of  the  inner  bank."  Dr.  Shaw 
computes  it "  about  thirty  yards  broad,  and  three  yards 
in  depth."  Chateaubriand  found  the  Jordan  to  be 
"six  or  seven  feet  deep- close  to  the  shore." 

2.  Judging,  then,  from  the  places  chosen,  and  the 
fonts  constructed  for  immersion  by  our  opponents, 
and  indeed  from  the  nature  of  the  case  (unless  men 
and  women  in  John's  time  were  twice  as  tall  as  at  the 
present  day!),  I  contend  that  dipping  persons  in  the 
Jordan  was  altogether  impracticable,  and  unhesitat- 
ingly conclude  that  they  were  only  affused,  or  sprink- 
led, with  the  water  of  it. 

3.  That  John's  baptism  was  not  by  immersion  is 
clear  from  the  vast  number  baptized  by  him.  Dr. 
Hibbard  proves  that  the  population  of  Palestine  at 
the  time  of  John's  ministry  could  not  be  less  than 
six  million.  Now,  the  Bible  says:  "There  went  out 
unto  him  all  the  land  of  Judea,  •  and  they  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and  all  the  region  round  ab-Mit  Jordan,  and  were 


Objections  Answered.  131 

all  baptized  of  him  in  the  river  Jordan,  confessing 
their  sins."  Dr.  Hibbard  contends  that  "Jerusalem, 
all  Judea,  and  the  region  round  about  Jordan  "  must 
mean  the  larger  part  of  the  population — and  puts  the 
number  baptized  at  three  million — half  of  the  popu- 
lation. John's  ministry  lasted  only  about  ten  months. 
He  allows  six  hours  a  day  and  six  days  in  the  week 
for  baptizing,  and  upon  this  calculation  shows  that 
John  had  to  baptize  two  thousand  and  tiro  hundred  each 
hour.  And  this  calculation  shows  the  utter  impossi- 
bility of  it  being  done  by  immersion. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  mode  of  John's  bap- 
tism, one  thing  is  certain — that  is,  John's  baptism  was 
not  the  Christian  baptism. 

1.  He  did  not  baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Holy 
Trinity.  And  this  is  essential  to  Christian  baptism. 
"Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost:' 

2.  John's  baptism  was  not  initiatory  into  the  Church. 
It  did  not  admit  them  into  the  Old  Testament  Church, 
since  those  who  received  it  (being  Jews)  were  already 
members  of  that  Church  by  circumcision.  It  did  not 
admit  them  into  the  Christian  Church,  since  that 
Church  had  not  been  established.  Just  before  the 
day  of  Pentecost  the  members  of  the  Christian  Church 
numbered  only  "about  one  hundred  and  twenty:*  Now, 
of  course  John  had  baptized  thousands  before  this, 
and  if  his  baptism  had  admitted  them  into  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  the  count  would  have  been  tens  of  thou- 
sands instead  of  "one  hundred  and  twenty:*  The  fact 
is,  the  Christian  Church  was  not  instituted  till  aftei 
John's  death. 


132  The  Methodist  Armor. 

3.  It  is  rendered  still  more  evident  from  the  fact 
that  Paul  re-baptized  certain  persons  at  Ephesus,  who 
had  received  John's  baptism.     (Acts  xix.  5.) 

IV.  Bapto  and  Baptidzo. 

The  argument  of  the  immersionists  is:  "My  posi- 
tion is  that  baptidzo  always  signifies  to  dip,  never  express- 
ing any  thing  hut  mode." — Dr.  Carson. 

The  hinge  on  which  the  whole  argument  turns  is 
that  the  classic  meaning  of  the  terms  bapto  and  bap- 
tidzo is  always  but  one  thing — to  dip,  immerse.  Can 
this  be  established?  No.  Let  us  see.  "Dr.  Dale  (a 
learned  divine  of  England)  renders  bapto  dip  fourteen 
times;  dye,  fourteen  times;  imbue  seven  times;  tem- 
per, one  time;  stain,  one  time;  wash,  four  times; 
moisten,  two  times;  wet,  one  time — forty-seven.  Of 
these  forty-seven  cases,  as  rendered  by  him,  we  have: 
(1)  thirty-three  against  fourteen  for  dip;  (2)  in  no  case 
was  there  an  immersion,  L  e.,  sinking." — Dr.  Ditzler. 

Dr.  Ditzler,  in  his  new  work  on  Baptism,  gives  the 
following  cases: 

1.  Of  a  frog  pierced  and  slain,  Homer  says:  "He 
fell  without  even  looking  upward,  and  the  lake  (ebap- 
toto)  was  tinged  with  blood."  Anybody  knows  that 
the  lake  could  not  possibly  be  immersed  in  the  blood 
of  a  frog,  but  that  the  blood  of  the  frog  tinged  the 
water  with  a  red  color. 

2.  Hippocrates,  a  Greek  scholar,  says  of  a  dyeing 
substance:  "When  it  drops  upon  garments  they  are 
(baptetai)  dyed,  or  stained."  Here  we  see  that  immer- 
sion is  out  of  the  question. 

3.  Aristophanes,  speaking  of  an  old  comic  writer, 
says:     "Smearing   himself   (baptomenos)   with   frog- 


Objections  Answered.  133 

colored  paint."     Here  the  term  cannot  mean  dip  or 
plunge. 

4.  Aristotle,  speaking  of  a  coloring  substance,  says: 
"Being  pressed,  it  moistens  (baptei)  and  dyes  the 
hand."     No  immersion  here. 

5.  Plutarch  says:  "Thou  mayest  be  bathed  (bap- 
tized), but  it  is  not  permitted  thee  to  go  under  the 
water." 

6.  Clemens  Alexandrinus  says  of  a  penitent:  "He 
was  baptized  a  second  time  with,  tears."  Could  a  man 
be  immersed  literally  in  his  own  tears?  An  utter 
impossibility. 

We  see  now,  without  quoting  more  instances,  that 
bapto  and  baptidzo  do  not  always  and  uniformly  mean 
to  dip,  plunge,  or  immerse;  and  therefore  the  immer- 
sional  theory  completely  breaks  down. 

Let  the  reader  observe  the  distinction  between  sacred 
and  secular  meaning  of  words.  Words  change  their 
meaning  in  the  course  of  time.  In  the  Greek  lan- 
guage the  word  presbyter  meant  simply  "  an  old  man; " 
in  the  Bible  the  same  word  means  a  'preacher,  old  or 
young.  Timothy,  though  young  in  age,  was  a  pres- 
byter in  the  Church.  In  the  old  Greek  language  a 
pastor  meant  "a  keeper  of  sheep;"  in  the  Bible  it 
signifies  a  man  in  charge  of  a  church.  Deipnon  in 
Greek  meant  a  sumptuous  and  royal  feast;  in  the 
Bible  it  signifies  the  Lord's  Supper.  Ekklesia  in 
Greek  meant  a  political  assembly;  in  the  Bible  it  is 
translated  a  church.  It  follows  conclusively  that 
if  baptidzo  did  mean  in  the  Greek  classics  to  dip, 
or  immerse,  it  proves  nothing  unless  it  can  be 
shown  that  it  means  the  same  thing  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. 


131  The  Method  id  Armor. 

The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter,  to  which  wo 
come,  is: 

1.  There  is  nothing  in  the  history  of  John's  bap- 
tism, nothing  in  the  practice  of  the  apostles,  nothing 
in  the  miscellaneous  allusions  to  baptism  in  the  Epis- 
tles, nothing  in  the  meaning  of  the  word  baptize,  to 
authorize  the  belief  that  any  particular  mode  of  baptism 
is  essential  to  the  validity  of  this  rite. 

2.  While  it  cannot  be  determined  with  absolute  cer- 
tainty whether  sprinkling,  pouring,  or  immersion  was 
the  mode  of  baptism  practiced  by  the  apostles,  im- 
mersion is  the  least  probable  of  the  three,  most  inconven- 
ient, and  the  least  expressive  of  Holy  Ghost  baptism. 

3.  To  require  immersion  in  order  to  admission  into 
the  Church  is  contrary  to  the  teaching  of  the  Bible, 
and  to  "  teach  for  doctrine  the  commandments  of  men." 
And  to  exclude  pious  Christians  from  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble because  they  have  not  been  immersed  is  narrow- 
hearted  bigotry. 

4.  Baptism  is  enjoined  upon  all  nations,  and  pour- 
ing is  adapted  to  all  climates,  but  immersion  is  not. 
How  could  immersion  be  performed  in  those  coun- 
tries where,  for  six  months  in  the  year,  every  pond, 
river,  and  ocean  is  converted  into  solid  ice? 

5.  Baptism  by  sprinkling  can  be  performed  on  per- 
sons who  profess  religion  on  a  dying-bed,  but  immer- 
sion cannot. 

G.  Baptism  by  pouring  comports  with  decency  and 
piopriety,  but  does  immersion? 


Infant  Baptism.  135 


CHAPTER  IX. 

INFANT  BAPTISM. 

I.  Infant  Baptism  as  Taught  in  the  Old 
Testament. 

In  tracing  back  the  history  of  the  Jewish  Church,  we 
find  that  infants  were  members  of  that  Church. 

1.  This  right  of  infant  membership  was  established 
when  that  Church  was  organized.  "  Every  man-child 
among  you  shall  be  circumcised."  "  He  that  is  eight 
days  old  shall  be  circumcised."  "The  uncircumcised 
shall  be  cut  off  from  his  people." 

2.  The  door  through  which  children  entered  into 
the  Old  Testament  Church  was  circumcision. 

3.  The  visible  Church  of  God  has  always  been  the 
same.  The  Christian  Church  to-day  is  the  Old  Tes- 
tament Church  purged  from  the  apostate  Jews.  And 
around  this  purged  Old  Testament  Church,  as  a  nu- 
cleus, the  New  Testament  Church  was  formed.  John 
the  Baptist  said  of  Christ:  "Whose  fan  is  in  his 
hand,  and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor  [the 
old  Church],  and  gather  his  wheat  [those  remaining 
true]  into  the  garner." 

The  good  olive-tree  representing  the  Church  of  the 
Jews  was  not  p'lucked  up  and  a  new  one  planted  in 
its  place. 

Proof. — "  Boast  not  against  the  branches.  But  if  thou  boast,  thou 
iiearcst  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.  Thou  wilt  say  then,  The 
branches  were  broken  off;  that  I  might  be  grafted  in.  Well;  be- 
cause of  unbelief  ihey  were  broken  off,  and  thou  standest  by  faith. 
He  not  high-minded,  but  fear;  for  if  God  spared  not  the  natural 
Itrancheb,  rake  heed  lest  he  also  s;>are  not  thee.  .  .  .  For  if  thou  wer* 


136  The  Methodist  Armor. 

cul  out  of  the  olive-tree  which  is  wild  hy  nature,  and  wert  graft  e<i 
contrary  to  nature  into  a  good  olive-tree;  how  much  more  shall 
these,  which  be  the  natural  branches,  be  grafted  into  their  own 
olive-tree?"     (Rom.  xi.  18-21,  24.) 

Kemakks. — By  the  "good  olive-tree"  Paul  can 
mean  nothing  but  the  Jewish  Church.  And  what 
does  he  say  about  it?  Was  this  gobd  olive-tree 
plucked  up  by  the  roots?  No.  He  asserts  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  good  olive-tree  in  life  and  vigor.  The 
unbelieving  Jews  as  worthless  branches  were  cut  off, 
while  the  believing  Gentiles  are  being  grafted  into 
the  fatness  of  the  tree.  But  mark  that  the  trunk  of 
the  good  old  olive-tree  remains  the  same.  The  in- 
grafted Gentile  partakes  of  the  root  and  fatness  of 
the  olive-tree.  It  certainly  was  not  cut  down,  nor 
rooted  up,  but  is  still  flourishing  in  great  beauty  and 
fruitfulness.  But  furthermore  the  apostle,  in  the 
light  of  prophecy,  foresees  the  restoration  of  the 
Jews.  "These,"  says  he,  "the  natural  branches,  shall 
be  grafted  in  again — shall  be  grafted  into  their  own 
olive-tree."  When  the  Jews  come  into  the  Christian 
Church  now  existing,  they  will  come  into  their  own 
Church.  But  how  could  this  be  unless  the  Church 
be  essentially  the  same  under  the  old  and  new  dis- 
pensations? 

4  The  right  of  infant  membership  existing  in  the 
Church  has  never  been  repeated.  It  stands  intact  to- 
day. No  change  has  occurred.  No  proclamation  has 
been  made  repealing  the  law  of  infant  membership. 
And  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  a  law  once  passed 
remains  in  force  until  formally  repealed. 

Now,  as  infants  were  members  of  the  Jewish 
Church,  and  as  the  gospel  Church  is  but  a  contin- 
uance of  the   Jewish,  and  no  repeal  of  this  law  of 


Infant  Baptism.  137 

infant  membership  having  taken  place,  the  conclu- 
sion is  inevitable  that  the  right  of  infant  membership 
remains  intact. 

5.  Circumcision,  with  other  forms  of  the  Jewish 
Church,  gave  way  to  baptism  in  the  Christian  Church. 
Baptism,  like  circumcision,  is  an  initiatory  rite  of 
admission  into  the  visible  Church.  As  circumcision 
was  the  gate  for  the  Jew  and  the  Gentile  proselyte 
into  the  Jewish  Church,  so  baptism  is  the  door  into 
the  Christian  Church.  Again,  baptism,  like  circum- 
cision, is  a  solemn  dedication  to  God's  service.  Once 
more,  baptism,  like  circumcision,  is  a  sign  and  seal 
of  God's  covenant.  The  children  of  believers  hold  a 
similar  relation  to  the  Christian  Church,  as  the  Jew- 
ish children  did  to  the  Jewish  Church;  the  former 
entering  the  Church  by  baptism,  the  latter  by  cir- 
cumcision. 

II.  Christ's  Kecognition  of  Infant  Membership 

Proofs. — "  Then  were  there  brought  unto  him  little  children,  that 
he  should  put  his  hands  on  them,  and  pray;  and  the  disciples  re- 
buked them.  But  Jesus  said,  Suffer  little  children,  and  forbid  them 
not,  to  come  unto  me;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And 
he  laid  his  hands  on  them  and  departed  thence."  (Matt.  xix.  13-15.) 
"And  they  brought  unto  him  also  infants,  that  he  would  touch  them ; 
but  when  his  disciples  saw  it,  they  rebuked  them.  But  Jesus  called 
them  unto  him,  and  said,  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and 
forbid  them  not;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  Verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  lit- 
tle child,  shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein."     (Luke  xviii.  15-17.) 

"  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  .  .  .  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  God."  What  is  the  meaning  oi 
kingdom  of  God?  The  kingdom  is  sometimes  used  to 
signify  the  visible  Church  on  earth.  "  The  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  net  that  was  cast  into  the  sea 


133  The  Methodist  Armor. 

and  gathered  of  every  kind."  (Matt.  xiii.  47.)  Then 
again,  it  is  used  to  mean  the  Church  of  God  in  a  state 
of  glory.  "  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and 
blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  If  we 
take  the  first  meaning,  then  the  passage  would  read: 
For  of  such  is  the  visible  Church,  or,  Such  belong  to 
the  Church  on  earth.  The  Church  was  then  the  Old 
Testament  Church.  The  day  of  Pentecost  had  not 
come  when  the  Christian  Church  came  of  the  old 
into  the  new.  These  children  being  the  children  of 
Jewish  parents  had  been  introduced  into  that  Church 
by  circumcision.  They  were  then  members  of  that 
Jewish  Church.  Hence  he  says  such  are  members  of 
the  Church — of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Or,  let  us  take 
the  other  meaning — that  the  kingdom  of  God  means 
the  heavenly  state.  Then,  it  teaches  that  all  children 
are  born  into  a  salvable  state.  The  atonement  of 
Christ  puts  them  in  a  state  of  salvation.  All  believe 
that  children  dying  in  infancy  are  saved.  They  are 
then  in  a  salvable  state.  If  they  have  then  the  moral 
state  of  salvation,  we  think  it  is  right  to  give  them 
the  sign  of  that  state.  Baptism  is  an  outward  sign 
of  an  inner  grace.  You  say  when  a  man  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  he  is  in  a  state  of  salvation,  and  is  a  fit 
subject  for  baptism.  Having  saving  grace,  the  thing 
signified,  you  give  him  the  sign  of  it.  That  is  your 
reason  for  baptizing  adults.  For  the  same  reason 
we  baptize  children.  The  Bible  authorizes  us  to 
baptize  all  persons  who  are  Jit  subjects,  be  they  in- 
fants or  adults.  The  moral  state  decides  the  ques- 
tion of  baptism,  and  not  ages  or  classes  of  persons. 
If  a  grown  person  be  a  fit  subject,  or  if  a  child  be  a 
fit  subject,  baptize   him.     And  for  this  reason  it  is 


Infant  Baptism.  139 

not  necessary  to  have  an  express  command  to  baptize 
infants.  There  is  no  command  to  baptize  persons 
ten,  twenty,  fifty,  or  one  year  old.  The  authority  is 
to  baptize  all  who  are  fit  subjects  of  the  kingdom, 
young  or  old. 

We  are  shut  up  to  one  of  two  conclusions — either 
infants  are  not  fit  to  go  to  heaven,  or  admit  their  fit- 
ness for  baptism.  For  if  you  admit  their  fitness  for 
heaven,  that  implies  that  they  have  saving  grace,  and 
saving  grace  is  universally  conceded  to  be  the  ground 
of  baptism.  We  must  believe  then  either  the  horrid 
doctrine  of  infant  damnation  or  the  doctrine  of  in- 
fant baptism. 

III.  The  Apostles  Preached  the  Doctrine  of 
Infant  Church-membership. 

Peter  in  his  Pentecostal  sermon  expressly  declared, 
"The  promise  is  unto  you  and  your  children.'"  The 
promise  referred  to  is  that  which  is  contained  in  the 
Abrahamic  covenant.  Never  was  there  a  better  time 
for  Peter  to  declare  the  repeal  of  the  law  requiring 
the  children  to  be  brought  into  the  Church  than  this. 
If  that  law  had  been  repealed,  now  that  they  were 
passing  out  of  the  old  into  the  new  Church,  Peter, 
it  seems  to  me,  would  have  said:  "Repent  and  be 
baptized,  ....  for  the  promise  is  unto  you,  but  your 
children  are  excluded  under  the  new  dispensation." 
But  he  said,  "  The  promise  is  unto  you  and  your  chil- 
dren." Christ  had  commanded  him  before,  "Feed  my 
lambs,"  and  he  knew  what  he  was  talking  about. 

IV.  Family  Baptisms. 

Proofs. — "And  a  certain  woman  named  Lydia,  a  seller  of  purple, 
of  the  cit3'  of  Thyatira,  which  worshiped    God,   heard    us;    whosp 


140  The  Methodist  Armor. 

heart  the  Lord  opened,  that  she  attended  unto  the  tilings  which 
were  spoken  of  Paul.  And  when  she  was  baptized,  and  her  house- 
hold, she  besought  us,  saying,  If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be  faithfirt 
to  the  Lord,  come  into*  my  house,  and  abide  there.  And  she  con- 
strained us."     (Acts  xvi.  14,  15.) 

Notice,  nothing  is  said  about  her  family  exercising 
any  religious  duty,  but  it  is  said  of  her,  "  The  Lord 
opened  her  heart,  and  she  attended  to  the  things 
spoken  by  Paul."  As  an  adult  person,  she  repented 
and  believed.  And  as  nothing  is  said  about  her  family 
repenting  and  believing,  but  that  they  were  baptized, 
the  inference  is  that  her  family  consisted  of  children 
too  young  to  believe,  and  that  they  were  baptized  on 
the  faith  of  the  mother. 

The  Jailer's  Family. 

"And  they  said,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved,  and  thy  house.  And  they  spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  all  that  were  in  his  house.  And  he  took  them  the 
same  hour  of  the  night,  and  washed  their  stripes;  and  was  bap- 
tized, he  and  all  his,  straightway."    (Acts  xvi.  31-33.) 

The  term  ''household,"  in  the  ordinary  sense,  in- 
cludes all  the  children  in  a  family.  When  it  is  said, 
"Joseph  nourished  his  father  and  his  brethren,  and 
all  his  father's  household,  with  bread,  according  to 
their  families"  little  children  are  included.  "When 
the  industrious  mother  is  described  as  "looking  well 
to  the  ways  of  her  household,"  the  term  includes  her 
children;  for  it  is  said,  "Her  children  rise  up  and 
call  her  blessed." 

Many  attempts  have  been  made  to  prove  that  there 
were  no  children  in  these  families,  but  all  such  at- 
tempts are  vain.  The  probabilities  are  against  all 
such  reasoning.  Besides  these  families,  Paul  bap- 
tized "the  household"  of  Stephanas.     As  households 


Infant  Baptism.  141 

or  families  generally  include  children,  we  have  no  right 
to  exclude  them  from  these  mentioned  in  the  Bible. 
"  Who  can  believe  that  not  one  infant  was  found  in 
all  these  families,  and  that  Jews  accustomed  to  the 
circumcisions,  and  Gentiles  accustomed  to  the  lustra- 
tion  of  infants,  should  not  have  also  brought  them  to 
baptism?" — Bencjel.  "The  practice  of  infant  baptism 
does  not  rest  on  inference,  but  on  the  continuity  and 
identity  of  the  covenant  of  grace  to  Jew  and  Gentile, 
the  sign  only  of  admission  being  altered." — Afford. 

The  apostolic  practice  was  that  of  baptizing  entire 
families.  That  is  certain.  Now,  if  modern  preachers 
follow  them,  they  will  baptize  entire  families;  and  if 
they  go  on  in  doing  so,  it  is  certain  that  they  will 
baptize  infants,  for  the  continued  practice  of  bap- 
tizing entire  families  will  necessarily  result  in  the 
baptism  of  infants.  To  follow  apostolic  example  is 
to  baptize  entire  families,  and  the  continued  practice 
of  baptizing  entire  families  is  to  baptize  infants. 
Historical  Statement. 

"From  the  year  400  A.D.  to  1150,  no  society  of 
men  in  all  the  period  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ever  pretended  to  say  that  it  was  unlawful  to 
baptize  infants.  Irenaeus,  who  lived  in  the  second 
century,  declares  expressly  that  the  Church  learned 
from  the  apostles  to  baptize  children." — Watson.  So 
far  as  history  afibrds  any  light,  the  baptism  of  chil- 
dren was  practiced  down  to  the  eleventh  century. 
About  1130,  a  body  of  Christians  called  Waldenses 
entertained  the  idea  that  infants  were  incapable  of 
salvation,  and  therefore  rejected  infant  baptism. 
About  1520,  the  Anabaptists  renewed  this  objection, 
which  the  Baptists  took  up  and  stoutly  maintain. 


142  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Since  the  Reformation  of  Luther,  by  far  the  greater 
portion  of  Christians  have  believed  and  practiced  the 
baptism  of  infants.  The  number  of  Christians  in  the 
whole  world  is  put  down  by  Prof.  Schem  at  four  hun- 
dred and  eighteen  million;  all  of  these — except  about 
four  million  belonging  mainly  to  the  Baptist  Cnurch 
— believe  in  and  practice  infant  baptism. 

Objections. 

It  is  asked,  "  What  is  the  benefit  of  baptism  to 
children?"  "What  does  the  child  know  about  it?" 
But  don't  you  see  that  these  objections  bear  just  as 
hard  against  circumcision  instituted  by  God  as 
against  infant  baptism?  What  was  the  benefit  of 
circumcision  to  children  only  eight  days  old?  What 
did  these  infants  know  about  it?  We  answer,  God 
saw  benefit  in  it,  else  he  would  not  have  command- 
ed it. 

Again,  the  stale  and  standing  objection  is,  "  There 
is  no  express  command  for  infant  baptism."  But 
there  is  a  command  for  circumcision  in  the  Old  Tes 
tament,  and  baptism  takes  the  place  of  circumcision 
But  waiving  this  point,  will  you  show  an  express 
command  for  admitting  women  to  the  communion- 
table? There  is  none.  There  is  no  command  requir- 
ing baptism  as  a  prerequisite  to  the  communion,  yet 
a  certain  Church  acts  as  though  there  was.  There 
is  not  a  remote  hint — much  less  a  command — in  the 
Bible  authorizing  the  practice  of  close  communion,  yet 
the  very  Church  that  objects  to  infant  baptism  be- 
cause there  is  no  express  "Thus  saith  the  Lord," 
rigidly  enforces  the  law  of  close  communion  without 
a  single  hint  of  Bible  authority  for  so  doing. 


Government  of  the  Church.  143 


CHAPTER  X. 

GOVEENMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH 

I.  The  General  Conference. 
The  supreme  government  of  the  Church  is  rested 
in  the  General  Conference.  It  is  a  law-making  body. 
It  is  composed  of  the  Bishops  of  the  whole  Church, 
and  of  ministerial  and  lay  delegates  who  are  elected 
by  the  several  Annual  Conferences.  The  clerical 
members  of  each  Annual  Conference  elect  one  rep- 
resentative of  their  number  for  every  twenty-eight  of 
the  whole  body.  An  equal  number  of  lay  delegates 
is  then  elected  by  the  lay  members. 

The  Business  of  the  General  Conference. 

1.  The  election  of  Bishops  when  deemed  necessary. 

2.  To  create  and  readjust  the  boundaries  of  the  An 
nual  Conferences. 

3.  To  revise  the  laws  and  rules  of  the  Discipline. 

4.  To  superintend  the  interest  of  Foreign  Missions. 

5.  To  elect  officers  to  conduct  the  business  of  the 
general  Publishing  House. 

These  items  embrace  the  leading  matters  of  the 
General  Conference  work.  That  body,  however,  has 
full  powers  to  make  rules  and  regulations  for  the 
Church,  under  the  following  restrictions:  (1)  They 
cannot  change  the  Articles  of  Religion,  or  the  stand- 
ards of  doctrine;  (2)  cannot  change  certain  ratio  of 
Annual  Conference  representation;  (3)  cannot  destroy 
the  episcopacy;  (4)  cannot  change  the  General  Kulea 
of  the  Unit3d  Societies;  (5)  cannot  destroy  the  privi 
leges  of  trial  as  prescribed  in  Discipline;   (fi)  canno* 


1A4  The  Methodist  Armor. 

appropriate  the  produce  of  the  Publishing  House 
otherwise  than  specified  in  Discipline.  No  change 
can  be  made  in  reference  to  the  subjects  protected 
by  the  Eestrictive  Eules  except  by  a  majority  of  tiro- 
thirds  of  the  General  Conference,  and  the  concurrence 
of  three-fourths  of  the  members  of  the  several  Annual 
Conferences.  Our  Articles  of  Keligion  and  doctrinal 
standards  cannot  be  revoked  or  altered  even  by  such 
a  large  vote  as  the  above.  The  General  Conference 
meets  once  in  four  years,  its  sessions  lasting  about 
four  weeks,  and  is  presided  over  by  the  Bishops,  each 
one  presiding  in  turn,  a  day  at  a  time. 

The  lay  delegates  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  the 
General  Conference  in  1870,  the  General  Conference 
of  1866,  having  recommended  it,  and  the  Annual  Con- 
ferences having  concurred,  it  became  a  law  and  took 
effect  in  1870.  The  introduction  of  the  lay  element 
into  the  General  Conference  puts  the  actual  govern- 
ment of  the  Church  equally  into  the  hands  of  the 
laymen  and  the  ministry.  It  is  the  only  law-making 
power  in  the  Church,  the  Annual  Conferences  being 
only  administrative  and  judicial.  "  The  General  Con- 
ference carries  out  its  laws  through  an  executive  ar- 
rangement consisting  of  the  Bishops  and  presiding 
elders.  By  their  agency,  it  exercises  a  general  su- 
perintendence over  the  Church." 

II.  Annual  Conferences. 

I.  The  ministers  within  certain  boundaries  assem- 
ble each  year,  and  this  meeting  is  called  an  Annual 
Conference.  It  is  composed  of  all  the  itinerant  min- 
isters in  full  connection,  and  of  four  lay  delegates 
(one  of  whom  may  be   a  local   preacher)   from   each 


Government  of  the  Church.  145 

presiding  elder's  district.  The  lay  members  have 
equal  rights  with  the  ministerial,  "to  participate  in 
all  the  business  of  the  Conference,  except  such  as 
involves  ministerial  character."  The  Bishops,  by 
virtue  of  their  office,  are  presidents  of  the  Annual 
Conferences.  In  the  absence  of  a  Bishop,  a  presi- 
dent is  elected  by  the  Conference.  The  Bishop  pre- 
siding, after  careful  consultation  with  the  presiding 
elders,  appoints  annually  each  minister  to  his  field 
of  labor. 

2.  The  Business  of  the  Conference. — The  principal 
items  of  business  are  the  following:  (1)  To  receive 
from  each  pastor  a  report  of  his  year's  work;  (2)  to 
admit  candidates  for  pastoral  work  on  trial,  or  into 
full  connection;  (3)  to  inquire  into  the  life  and  ad- 
ministration of  each  pastor;  (4)  to  try  any  who  may 
be  accused  of  immorality  or  heterodoxy;  (5)  to  exam- 
ine into  the  qualifications  of  candidates  for  deacon's 
and  elder's  orders,  and  elect  the  same  to  such  orders ; 
(6)  to  inaugurate  measures  to  promote  the  work  of 
missions,  Sunday-schools,  and  education,  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  Conference;  (7)  to  distribute  the 
collected  funds  for  the  relief  of  the  worn-out  minis- 
ters, and  the  widows  or  orphans  of  the  deceased  min- 
isters who  died  members  of  the  Conference;  (8)  the 
appointment  of  the  preachers.  Whatever  may  be  the 
size  and  number  of  the  Conferences,  they  are  all  or- 
ganized on  the  same  plan  and  governed  by  the  same 
laws.  There  are  thirty-eight  Conferences  in  the  M. 
E.  Church,  South. 

III.  District  Conferences. 
1.  A  District  Conference  is  held  annually  in  each 
presiding  elder's  district.     It  is  composed  of  all  thp 

10 


146  The  Methodist  Armor. 

traveling  and  local  preachers  within  the  bounds  of  the 
district,  and  a  certain  number  of  laymen  from  each 
pastoral  charge,  which  number  is  fixed  by  each  An- 
nual Conference.  The  presiding  elder  is  the  presi- 
dent unless  a  Bishop  be  present. 

2.  The  Business  of  this  Conference.— (1)  It  is  the  duty 
of  this  Conference  to  inquire  respecting  the  spiritual 
condition  of  each  pastoral  charge,  and  as  to  the  attend- 
ance of  the  people  upon  the  ordinances  and  social  meet- 
ings of  the  Church;  (2)  to  inquire  respecting  new 
fields  for  establishing  missions,  and  what  existing  mis- 
sions ought  to  be  raised  to  circuits;  (3)  to  inquire  if 
the  collections  for  Church  purposes  are  properly  at- 
tended to,  and  as  to  the  comfortableness  of  churches 
and  parsonages;  (4)  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of 
Sunday-schools,  manner  of  conducting  them,  and  adopt 
suitable  measures  for  insuring  success,  and  also  as  to 
the  educational  enterprises  of  the  district,  and  take  a 
general  oversight  of  all  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
affairs  of  the  district,  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the 
Discipline;  (5)  to  elect  four  lay  delegates  —  one  of 
whom  may  be  a  local  preacher — to  the  ensuing  An- 
nual Conference;  (6)  these  Conferences  give  promi- 
nence to  preaching,  prayer-meetings,  love-feasts,  and 
revival  exercises. 

IV.  The  Quarterly  Conference. 
The  Quarterly  Conference  is  an  official  meeting  held 
four  times  a  year,  for  the  purpose  of  transacting  the 
business  of  each  one  of  the  pastoral  charges.  It  is 
composed  of  the  pastor  in  charge,  the  local  preach- 
ers, exhorters,  stewards,  trustees,  class-leaders,  super- 
intendents of  Sunday-schools,  and  secretaries  of  the 
Church   Conferences.     The  presiding  elder  — in  his 


Government  of  the  ChurcJu  147 

absence  the  preacher  in  charge — is  president  of  the 
meeting.  He  also  appoints  the  times  of  holding  the 
meetings,  signs  the  records,  and  decides  all  questions 
of  law. 

Its  business.  (1)  It  takes  account  of  the  temporal 
and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  church;  (2)  elects  trust- 
ees, stewards,  superintendents  of  Sunday-schools;  (3) 
licenses  persons  to  preach  or  exhort;  (4)  tries  local 
preachers  when  accused,  and  is  a  court  of  appeal  to 
laymen  tried  in  the  church ;  (5)  recommends  suitable 
persons  to  join  the  Annual  Conference,  and  such  local 
preachers  as  desire  deacon's  or  elder's  orders. 

The  minutes  of  this  Conference  must  be  regularly  re- 
corded, signed,  and  preserved.  All  ministers  of  every 
office  and  grade  must  first  be  licensed  by  a  Quarterly 
Conference.  None  can  get  into  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence, except  they  be  recommended  by  it.  The  func- 
tions of  this  body  are  organic;  its  work  is  executive 
and  judicial,  and  is  closely  related  to  the  order  and 
prosperity  of  the  Church.  It  is  the  great  wheel  mov- 
ing the  business  machinery  of  each  circuit,  station, 
and  mission,  and  is  indispensable  to  our  system. 

V.  The  Church  Conference. 

This  is  a  meeting  of  each  society  in  a  pastoral  charge. 
The  pastor  is  president;  a  secretary  is  elected  to  note 
the  proceedings;  the  roll  of  members  is  called.  All  the 
members  of  the  society  have  a  right  to  participate  in 
the  meeting.  It  is  a  kind  of  mass-meeting  of  that 
particular  church. 

The  object  of  the  meeting  is  to  lay  before  all  the  mem- 
bers reports,  (1)  of  the  pastor  as  to  the  state  of  his 
work;  (2)  of  the  class-leader;  (3)  of  the  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday-school;  (4)  of  the  stewards. 


118  The  Methodist  Armor. 

The  meeting  further  inquires  into  what  is  being 
done  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  for  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions, for  the  circulation  of  our  religious  literature, 
and  any  other  matter  that  may  advance  the  good  of 
the  church.  The  meeting  "  may  strike  off  the  names 
of  any  who,  on  account  of  removal  or  other  cause,  have 
been  lost  sight  of  twelve  months:  provided,  however, 
that  if  such  member  appears  and  claims  membership, 
he  may  be  restored  by  a  vote  of  the  meeting." 

The  information  given  by  the  above  reports  is  de- 
signed to  enlist  the  energies  of  the  whole  church  in 
its  local  work  of  benevolence  and  spiritual  enterprise. 
The  main  end  of  the  Church  Conference  is  to  put  every 
member  to  work  for  the  cause  of  Christ. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

CHURCH   OFFICERS. 

In  the  Ministry:  Bishops,  Presiding  Elders,  Pastors, 
Local  Preachers. 

I.  Bishops. 
Bishops  are  constituted  by  the  election  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  and  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of 
three  Bishops.  Their  duties  are:  (1)  To  preside  in 
the  General  and  Annual  Conferences;  (2)  to  make  the 
appointments  of  the  preachers;  (3)  to  form  the  dis- 
tricts, circuits,  and  stations;  (4)  to  ordain  Bishops,  eld- 
ers, and  deacons;  (5)  to  decide  questions  of  law;  (6)  to 
prescribe  a  course  of  study  for  young  ministers;  (7) 
to  change  preachers  in  the  interval  of  Conferences 
whenever  necessary;  (8)  to  travel  through  the  Connec- 
tion at  large  and  oversee  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  whole   Church.     The   episcopacy  of 


Church  Officers.  149 

Methodism  is  not  diocesan,  like  that  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  Church,  but  is  coextensive  with  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  Church  at  large.  It  differs  from  the 
Episcopal  Church,  mainly,  in  not  claiming  apostolic 
succession.  Methodist  Bishops  have  neither  legisla- 
tive nor  voting  power  in  the  Conferences.  They,  ac- 
cording to  our  theory,  are  elders  as  to  ministerial 
order,  and  episcopal  as  to  the  high  office  of  general 
superintendency.  Our  moderate  episcopacy  does  not 
claim  any  divine  right  for  its  existence,  but  affirms  that 
no  specific  form  of  Church  polity  is  prescribed  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  therefore  the  Church  is  free  to 
adopt  such  a  form  as  in  its  judgment  will  best  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  Christ.  We  claim  that  our  episco- 
pacy preserves  the  unity  of  the  Church,  is  itself  a  con- 
nectional  bond,  and  serves  to  strengthen  and  maintain 
all  other  bonds  by  Avhich  the  several  churches  are 
united  in  one  great  connectional  Communion.  It  is 
the  most  efficient  agency  in  distributing  ministerial 
talents  over  the  world.  So  far  as  human  wisdom  is 
competent  to  judge,  it  is  the  most  effective  form  of 
Church  government  known  among  men. 

The  distinction  between  the  non-Episcopal  branches 
of  Methodism  and  the  Episcopal  is  clearly  marked. 
Wherever  Methodism  has  abandoned  the  episcopacy 
and  the  presiding  eldership,  the  connectional  bonds 
have  been  loosened,  difficulties  have  arisen,  and  serious 
losses  have  been  sustained.  "  English  Methodists  have 
failed  to  hold  their  affiliated  Conference,  and  one  after 
another  seeks  distinct  government."  The  non-Episco- 
pal Methodist  Churches,  both  of  America  and  England, 
have  not  prospered  so  abundantly  as  the  Episcopal 
Methodist  Churches  in  the  two  countries  named-    The 


L50  The  Methodist  Armor. 

vast  superiority  in  numbers  of  American  Methodism 
over  that  in  England  is  attributable  mainly  to  our  epis- 
copal form  of  government.  Dr.  Dixon,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing Wesleyan  ministers,  said,  "We  must  look  to 
American  Methodism  to  find  the  model  Church  of  Mr. 

Wesley." 

II.  Presiding  Elders. 

The  presiding  elder  is  appointed  by  the  Bishop, 
and  is  put  in  charge  of  a  district  having  from  twelve 
to  twenty  pastoral  charges  in  it. 

No  class  of  ministers  in  the  Methodist  economy 
fill  a  more  important  position  than  the  presiding  eld- 
ers.    This  will  appear  when  we  consider: 

First.  Their  broad  field  of  ministerial  usefulness. 
They  preach  over  the  widest  scope  of  territory,  to  the 
largest  congregations  of  appreciative  hearers,  and  un- 
der the  most  inspiring  circumstances.  Quarterly- 
meeting  occasions  have  always  been,  among  Method- 
ists at  least,  the  most  attractive  and  fruitful  of  good 
results.  There  is  usually  the  fullest  attendance  of 
the  members  of  the  particular  church  where  these 
meetings  are  held,  and  also  official  brethren  of  other 
churches.  And  furthermore,  it  is  the  privilege  of 
the  presiding  elders  to  preach  to  such  congregations 
almost  every  Sunday  in  the  year.  And  on  such  oc- 
casions they  preach  their  select,  most  powerful  and 
impressive  sermons.  The  field  of  ministerial  useful- 
ness, then,  opened  to  the  presiding  elders  is  vastly 
superior  to  that  of  other  preachers.  In  the  light  of 
these  facts,  it  seems  strange  to  hear  the  question 
asked— as  it  is  sometimes—"  What  is  the  use  of  pre- 
siding elders?"  If,  as  it  is  conceded  cheerfully,  the 
pastors  of  stations  and  circuits  deserve  to  be  well  pai<L 


Church  Officers.  151 

highly  esteemed,  and  dearly  loved  because  of  their 
ministerial  usefulness,  then  the  presiding  elders  have 
a  higher  claim  for  the  same  benedictions  of  the  people. 

Secondly.  The  official  duties  of  the  presiding  elder 
are  many  and  weighty,  and  for  the  information  of  the 
people  it  may  be  well  for  us  to  specify.  The  duties 
of  the  presiding  elder  are:  (1)  To  travel  through  his 
district  in  order  to  preach  and  oversee  the  spiritual 
and  temporal  affairs  of  the  Church;  (2)  to  take  charge 
of  all  the  preachers  in  his  district  in  the  absence  of  the 
Bishop;  (3)  to  change,  receive,  and  suspend  preachers 
in  his  district  during  the  intervals  of  the  Conferences; 
(4)  to  hold  four  Quarterly  Conferences  in  each  pastoral 
charge  during  the  year;  (5)  to  decide  all  questions  of 
law  which  may  come  up  in  the  regular  business  of  the 
Quarterly  Conference;  (6)  to  see  that  every  part  of  the 
Discipline  is  enforced  in  his  district,  etc.;  (7)  if  any 
preacher  dies,  or  leaves  his  work,  the  presiding  elder, 
as  far  as  possible,  fills  his  place  with  another;  (8)  he 
is  ex  officio  president  of  the  District  Conference  in  the 
absence  of  the  Bishop.  There  are  some  other  minor 
duties  not  mentioned,  but  we  have  specified  enough 
to  show  the  importance  of  this  office. 

Thirdly.  One  of  the  most  important  functions  of 
the  presiding  eldership  is  the  relation  it  holds  to  the 
Bishop  in  making  the  appointments  of  the  preachers. 
Every  appointment  must  be  made  with  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  qualifications  of  the  preacher  ap- 
pointed and  the  demands  of  the  work  to  which  he  is 
appointed;  and  the  Bishop  can  get  such  knowledge 
only  through  the  presiding  elders.  The  presiding  eld- 
ers, then,  must  see  and  hear  for  the  Bishop,  and  speak 
for  the  people  and  the  preachers,  in  the  matter  of  ap- 


152  The  Methodist  Armor. 

pointments.  As  they  have  traveled  through  all  thw 
field,  and  watched  carefully  the  work  of  each  pastor 
and  wants  of  each  charge,  they  are  admirably  well 
prepared  to  represent  the  wants  of  the  people  and  the 
claims  and  adaptation  of  the  preachers;  so  their  ad- 
vice becomes  essential  to  the  Bishop  in  order  that  his 
appointments  may  be  judiciously  made.  They  are  mid- 
dle-men, and,  like  all  men  occupying  such  a  position, 
they  are  likely  to  be  blamed,  though  they  may  have 
done  their  best  both  for  the  people  and  the  preachers. 
There  is  no  work  so  carefully  and  prayerfully  done  as 
making  the  appointments  of  the  preachers. 

III.  Pastoks. 

The  preacher  in  charge  of  work  is  one  who  has  the 
pastoral  care  of  a  station,  circuit,  or  mission,  by  the 
appointment  of  the  regularly  constituted  authority  of 
the  Church.  He  may  be  an  elder,  deacon,  or  an  un- 
ordained  preacher  on  trial,  or  a  local  preacher  em- 
ployed by  the  presiding  elder.  His  duties  are:  (1) 
To  preach;  (2)  to  receive,  try,  and  expel  members  con- 
victed of  immorality;  (3)  to  appoint  class-leaders;  (4) 
to  see  that  the  sacraments  are  duly  observed;  (5)  to 
hold  quarterly-meetings  in  the  absence  of  the  pre- 
siding elder;  (6)  to  report  to  the  Quarterly  Conference 
the  general  condition  of  his  work;  (7)  to  promote  all 
benevolent  collections  of  the  Church;  (8)  to  report  the 
number  and  state  of  the  Sunday-schools. 

Pastors  are  represented  in  the  Bible  as  having  "  a\i- 
thority  "  and  "rule  "  over  the  churches.  "  Obey  them 
that  have  the  rule  over  you."  They  are  to  "preach 
the  word,"  to  "  teach,  baptize,  to  feed  the  Hock."  They 
aie  sometimes  called  "elders,"  because  of  their  over- 


Church  Officers.  153 

sight;  called  "pastors,"  because  of  their  watch-care; 
"  ministers,"  because  of  the  services  rendered;  "  watch- 
men," because  of  their  wide-awake  vigilance;  "  embas- 
sadors," because  of  their  authority  to  effect  peace  be- 
tween God  and  man.  The  three  functions  of  preach- 
ing the  word,  watching  over  the  congregation,  and 
ruling  in  the  congregation  by  the  exercising  of  disci- 
pline, are  clearly  laid  down  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  responsibility  of  all  these  rests  upon  the  pastor. 

IV.  Local  Peeachees. 

Local  preachers  are  constituted  by  the  authority  of 
the  Quarterly  Conference,  and  are  amenable  to  that 
body.  They  must  come  before  that  body  properly 
recommended  by  the  individual  church  of  which  they 
are  members.  Such  applicants  are  licensed  to  preach 
when,  on  examination,  the  Conference  is  satisfied  that 
they  have  gifts,  graces,  and  usefulness.  Local  or  lay 
preachers  began  with  the  early  years  of  Methodism. 
They  have  always  been  a  powerful  arm  in  the  Method- 
ist work.  They  support  themselves  by  secular  labor, 
and  preach  in  their  neighborhood  on  Sundays,  and 
render  a  very  valuable  service  to  the  Church.  Philip 
Embury,  Captain  Webb,  and  Eobert  Strawbridge, 
three  local  preachers,  founded  Methodism  in  Amer- 
ica, and  their  successors  have  planted  it  in  the  new 
States  of  the  West.  Throughout  the  entire  range  of 
the  Methodist  Connection  the  local  preachers  are  still 
an  effective  and  faithful  body  of  ministerial  laborers. 
From  their  ranks  comes  the  great  army  of  the  itiner- 
ants. They  usually  begin  as  exhorters,  graduate  to 
the  local  ministry,  and  thence  into  the  itinerancy. 

No  feature  of  Methodism  shows  more  practical  wis- 
dom than  this  threefold  arrangement  and  graduation 


154  The  Methodist  Armor. 

of  her  ministry.  The  exhorter  must  sIioav  improve- 
ment before  he  can  become  a  local  preacher,  and  the 
local  preacher  must  show  capacity  before  he  can  reach 
the  itinerant  ranks. 

LAY  OFFICERS  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Exhorters,  Class-leaders,  Stewards,  Trustees,  Super- 
intendents of  Sunday-schools. 

I.  Exhorters. 
Al.  exhorter  is  one  licensed  by  the  Quarterly  Con- 
ference to  read  scriptural  lessons  and  make  a  practi- 
cal application  of  their  truths  to  the  public  congrega- 
tion. They  are  not  expected  to  select  a  text  and  preach 
a  regular  sermon.  Their  service  is  confined  to  sing- 
ing, prayer,  and  public  exhortation.  They  are  useful 
laborers  in  our  Church.  Mr.  Wesley  permitted  none 
of  his  members  to  exercise  even  the  function  of  an  ex- 
horter without  license,  and  so  it  is  ingrafted  in  our 
economy  that  license  to  exhort  must  be  given  and  an- 
nually renewed  by  the  Quarterly  Conference,  to  which 
body  the  exhorters  are  responsible  for  their  official 

cond  act. 

II.  Class-leaders 

are  appointed  by  the  preacher  in  charge.  In  1771 
Mr  Wesley  said:  "That  it  may  be  more  easily  dis- 
cei  ned  whether  the  members  of  our  societies  are  work- 
ing out  their  salvation,  they  are  divided  into  little 
companies  called  classes.  A  leader  is  appointed  whose 
duty  it  is  (1)  to  see  each  person  in  his  class  once  a 
week,  to  inquire  how  their  souls  are  prospering,  to 
advise,  reprove,  comfort,  or  exhort  them;  (2)  to  re- 
port to  the  pastor  any  that  are  "sick  or  walking  dis- 
orderly." 


Church  Officers.  155 

III.  Stewards. 
Stewards  are  elected  by  the  Quarterly  Conference. 
Their  business  is  ( 1 )  to  attend  to  the  financial  inter- 
est of  the  charge;  (2)  to  advise  and  confer  with  the 
pastor  as  to  the  general  management  of  the  work. 
Their  duties  are  many  and  weighty.  First,  the  ques- 
tion of  a  liberal  and  generous  salary  for  the  pastor 
depends  upon  them.  Second,  whether  the  salary  al- 
lowed shall  be  paid  depends  almost  exclusively  on  their 
efforts  in  collecting  the  money.  No  other  persons  are 
authorized  to  collect  the  estimated  amount.  If  they 
fail,  the  failure  is  remediless.  Faithfulness  in  this 
office  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  the  welfare  of 
the  ministry  and  the  prosperity  of  the  Church. 

IV.  Trustees. 
All  Church  property — such  as  meeting-houses,  par- 
sonages, cemeteries — held  according  to  the  Discipline, 
is  vested  in  a  board  of  trustees,  who  hold  it  in  trust 
for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  South.  The  ministers  have  never  claimed, 
nor  do  they  hold  in  law,  any  title  to  such  property. 
Churches  thus  held  are  obliged  to  be  opened  to  min- 
isters duly  sent  by  Conference.  These  churches  are 
held  for  the  sacred  purpose  of  divine  worship,  and  are 
to  be  closed  against  all  political  or  secular  meetings. 
The  trustees  are  elected  by  the  Quarterly  Confer- 
ences, and  are  responsible  to  the  same. 

V.  Superintendents  of  Sunday-schools. 

The  Quarterly  Conference  elects  superintendents 

of  Sunday-schools  on  the  nomination  of  the  preacher 

in  charge.     The  office  of  the  superintendent  is  one  of 

vast  importance  to  the  future  pr<  isperity  of  the  Church. 


156  The  Methodist  Armor. 

and  therefore  great  care  should  be  taken  to  put  in  men 
of  the  greatest  efficiency. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PECULIAR  USAGES  OF  METHODISM. 

I.  Class-meetings. 
In  order  to  raise  money  to  pay  a  Church  debt,  Mr. 
Wesley  divided  his  people  into  classes  of  twelve,  re- 
quiring "every  member  to  give  a  penny  a  week." 
These  classes,  meeting  weekly  to  contribute  their  pen- 
nies, became  also  meetings  of  religious  experience. 
Thus  what  were  at  first  business-meetings  finally  de- 
veloped into  class-meetings,  which  have  become  one 
of  the  peculiar  institutions  of  Methodism.  These 
meetings  have  been  of  vast  benefit  in  building  up  the 
spiritual  manhood  of  Methodism.  But  for  many 
years  they  have  been  in  a  state  of  deep  declension. 
The  signs  of  restoration  are  beginning  to  appear  in 
various  parts  of  our  Zion.  It  will  be  a  happy  day  foi 
Methodism  when  they  are  restored  to  their  primitive 
prevalence  and  vigor.  There  are  sundry  passages  in 
the  Bible  on  which  the  institution  of  the  class-meet- 
ing may  rest  as  a  scriptural  basis. 

While  we  do  not  find  class-meetings  in  the  Bible  in 
the  same  form  that  Methodists  hold  them,  still  they 
are  substantially  recognized  in  the  word  of  inspira- 
tion. David  (in  Ps.  lxvi.  16)  says:  "Come  and  hear, 
al  L  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath 
done  for  my  soul." 

1.  Here  we  see  that  the  godly  man  is  anxious  to  im- 
part to  others  his  experience.  '  "  Come  and  hear." 
This  experience  is  related  to  congenial  hearers.     "All 


Peculiar  Usages  of  Methodism.  157 

ye  that  fear  the  Lord."  These  were  the  spiritual 
brethren  of  the  psalmist.  Spiritual  men  only  com- 
prehend the  experience  of  a  godly  man,  and  are  there- 
fore greatly  benefited  by  it.  They  are  confirmed  and 
refreshed  in  their  own  experience.  No  man  ever  re- 
lated a  good  experience  that  did  not  benefit  others.  It 
falls  as  dew  upon  the  grass.  It  often  disperses  the 
clouds  of  doubts  as  the  sun  clears  the  skies  of  clouds. 
Paul  often  told  the  experience  of  his  conversion  to  the 
edification  of  thousands.  "Wesley's  experience,  where 
he  states,  "I  fdt  my  heart  strangely  wanned"  has  been 
a  lamp  to  the  feet  of  thousands.  The  experience  then 
of  godly  men  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  elements  in 
Christianity.  Now,  class-meetings  afford  a  constant 
opportunity  for  the  wielding  of  this  power. 

2.  Again:  The  man  who  relates  his  experience  is 
perhaps  more  benefited  than  the  hearers.  It  makes 
religion  intensely  a  personal  matter.  "Come,  hear 
what  he  hath  done  for  my  soul."  In  this  matter  we 
talk  about  ourselves  without  egotism.  It  puts  a  man 
to  thinking  about  the  dealings  of  God  with  his  soul. 
It  leads  a  man  to  obey  the  apostolic  injunction,  "  Ex- 
amine yourselves  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith."  Self- 
examination  is  very  important.  The  lack  of  it  swamped 
the  foolish  builder  spoken  of  in  the  sermon  of  Christ. 
It  shut  the  door  against  the  foolish  virgins.  These 
meetings  are  then  especially  valuable  in  leading  per- 
sons to  frequent  personal  examinations. 

3.  The  class -meeting  promotes  the  spirit  of  fra- 
ternal sympathy — the  communion  of  saints.  "I  be- 
lieve in  the  communion  of  saints."  It  is  a  spiritual 
feast.  It  is  a  foretaste  of  heaven.  The  fragrance  of 
the  blooming  garden  is  not  so  sweet  and  refreshing 


158  The  Methodist  Armor. 

It  is  more  genial  than  the  beaming  of  a  warm  sun 
after  a  season  of  cold,  cloudy  weather.  "  Behold, 
how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in 
unity." 

4.  Class-meetings  accomplish  great  good  in  leading 
men  to  a  confession  of  their  faults.  There  is  nothing 
heio  like  the  Romish  confessional.  The  confession 
is  voluntary,  not  enforced.  Voluntary  confession  is 
good  for  the  health  of  the  soul.  So  James  thought, 
"Confess  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for 
another,  that  ye  may  be  healed."  It  leads  a  man  to 
abandon  his  faults,  it  enlists  the  prayers  of  his  breth- 
ren, and  thus  has  healing  and  curing  effects.  When 
the  prodigal  son  confessed — "I  have  sinned" — he 
arose  and  came  to  his  father. 

5.  Class-meetings  are  eminently  pleasing  to  God. 
"  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to 
another;  and  the  Lord  hearkened  and  heard  it;  and 
a  book  of  remembrance  was  written  before  him  for 
them  that  feared  the  Lord,  and  thought  upon  his 
name.  And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jewels."  The 
eloquent  speeches  of  legislative  halls  and  kingly  par- 
liaments may  be  written  down  by  ten  thousand  edit- 
ors of  political  journals,  but  they  are  not  written  in 
the  book  of  God;  but  the  class-meeting  talks  of  God's 
people  are.  God  thinks  so  much  of  these  meetings  as 
to  have  angel  reporters  there  to  take  down  every  wore1, 
and  have  it  put  in  the  celestial  journals. 

7.  These  meetings  serve  to  kindle  religious  feelings. 
In  such  a  meeting  the  heart  is  drawn  out  in  sympathy, 
prayer,  and  desire,  and  thus  a  warmer,  purer  flame  is 
ki  ndled;  a  fresher  love  toward  God  and  man  is  aroused. 


Peculiar  Usages  of  Methodism.  159 

When  Christ  held  a  kind  of  class-meeting  with  his  dis- 
ciples on  their  way  to  Emmaus,  they  said  one  to  an- 
other, "Did  not  our  hearts  burn  within  us  while  he 
talked  with  us  by  the  way?  "  These  disciples  were  in 
the  gloom  of  spiritual  winter,  but  their  feelings  soon 
began  to  kindle,  burn,  and  flame  as  Christ  talked  with 
them.  Their  clouds  were  gone,  the  winter  was  over, 
the  life  of  spring  began  to  bud  and  blossom — balmy 
air,  clear  skies,  and  the  warm  Sun  of  righteousness 
were  now  pouring  a  tide  of  gladness  into  their  souls. 
How  many  have  gone  to  these  meetings  with  the  dark- 
ness of  spiritual  winter  upon  them,  and  have  come  out 
with  the  brightness  and  beauty  of  spring  all  around 
them! 

II.  The  Itinerancy. 

A  marked  peculiarity  of  Methodism  is  the  itiner- 
ancy of  her  ministry.  It  is  a  simple  and  easy  plan  of 
shifting  the  ministers  from  one  field  of  labor  to  an- 
other.    It  requires  three  things: 

1.  That  the  congregations  give  up  their  right  to 
choose  their  pastors. 

2.  That  the  ministers  surrender  their  right  to  select 
their  own  field  of  labor. 

3.  That  the  appointment  be  referred  to  a  compe- 
tent, impartial,  untrammeled,  but  responsible  author- 
ity arranged  by  the  law  of  the  Church. 

Both  the  people  and  ministers,  however,  are  at  lib- 
erty to  make  known  their  peculiar  condition,  wishes, 
and  circumstances  to  the  appointing  power.  And  thus, 
under  this  elastic  system,  all  parties  have  their  own 
choice,  when  it  is  clear  that  the  good  of  the  work  will 
be  served.  While  the  Bishops  have  the  sole  author- 
ity of  making  the  appointments,  yet  they  always  do 


160  The  Methodist  Armor. 

so  under  the  advice  of  the  presiding  elders.  They 
are  eyes  and  ears  for  the  Bishop  and  mouth  for  the  peo- 
ple and  the  preachers.  Having  traveled  through  all 
the  work,  and  being  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
wants  of  the  people  and  the  peculiar  qualifications  of 
the  preachers,  they  rarely  fail  in  so  advising  the  ap- 
pointing power  as  to  secure  the  best  disposition  to  be 
made  of  the  ministers.  Under  this  system  a  minister 
is  liable  to  be  moved  after  one  year's  service,  yet  he 
may  remain  four  years,  if  all  the  parties  concerned 
think  it  best;  but  beyond  this  term  he  cannot  go. 

The  theory  of  the  Methodist  itinerancy  is  based  upon 
the  fact  that  "  the  world  is  the  parish"  of  Methodism 
—that  all  men  everywhere  must  be  called  to  repent- 
ance. It  is  based  upon  the  great  commission,  "Go 
ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature."  "  Go  ye,"  not  wait  until  the  people  come 
to  you.  In  the  settled  ministry,  the  people  call  the 
preacher;  in  the  itinerant  system,  the  minister  seeks 
the  lost  sheep.  Jesus  Christ  himself  was  an  itinerat- 
ing preacher.  His  circuit  embraced  Judea,  Samaria, 
and  Galilee.  The  apostles  were  commanded  "  to  go 
to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel;"  the  Sev- 
enty were  sent  forth,  two  and  two,  "into  every  city 
and  place."  "  Paul  said  to  Barnabas,  Let  us  go  again, 
and  visit  our  brethren  in  every  city  where  we  have 
preached  the  word  of  the  Lord."  Philip  traveled 
the  new  circuit  of  Samaria,  which  embraced  Cesarea, 
Gaza,  Azotus,  and  all  the  cities  on  toward  Cesarea; 
and  on  the  first  round  he  had  a  great  revival  at  Sama- 
ria, and  was  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of  the 
Ethiopian  eunuch  in  the  south  part  of  his  circuit. 
Peculiar  Advantages  of  the  System,— 1.  It  keeps  all 


Peculiar  Usages  of  Methodism.  161 

the  churches  constantly  supplied  with  pastors.  The 
weak  and  poor  churches  are  as  regularly  supplied  as 
rich  ones.  Though  such  churches  be  out  of  the  way, 
and  able  to  pay  but  little,  yet  they  always  have  a  pas- 
tor. Consequently  we  never  nave  what  is  so  frequent- 
ly found  in  other  denominations,  viz.,  vacant  churches. 

2.  No  effective  preacher  in  this  system  is  ever  found 
without  a  pastoral  charge.  We  have  no  unemployed 
ministers  waiting,  year  after  year,  for  some  congre- 
gation to  call  them.  The  ministerial  waste  of  time  in 
other  denominations  in  this  respect  is  enormous.  We 
noticed  in  a  paper  not  long  since  that  some  eight 
hundred  ministers  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  were  without  any  regular  pastorates. 

3.  It  furnishes  our  people  with  a  great  variety  of 
ministerial  talent.  One  year  they  have  a  logician  to 
defend  the  doctrines  of  the  Church,  next  they  have  a 
son  of  thunder  to  awaken  and  arouse  the  sleepers; 
this  year  a  revivalist  to  get  the  people  converted,  the 
next  an  experienced  disciplinarian  to  train  them. 

4.  It  readjusts  annually  the  whole  machinery  of 
pastoral  relations,  so  as  to  secure  the  greatest  effi- 
ciency possible. 

5.  It  takes  out  of  and  puts  into  pastoral  charge  min- 
isters without  that  violence  and  strife  which  attend 
the  dissolution  of  pastoral  relations  in  the  other  de- 
nominations. 

6.  Finally,  it  is  well  known  that  the  changes  in  the 
settled  ministry,  on  an  average,  are  quite  as  frequent  as 
among  the  Methodists,  but  without  the  harmony  and 
efficiency  of  the  itinerant  system.  We  believe  the  plan 
to  be  providential ;  it  has  worked  wonders,  and  we  ex- 
pect to  adhere  to  it  till  the  trump  of  judgment  sounds* 

11 


102  The  Methodist  Armor. 

III.  Love-feast. 
The  design  of  the  love-feast  is  to  cultivate  and  ex- 
ercise fraternal  love  and  good-fellowship.  It  is  done 
by  eating  and  drinking  the  simple  elements  of  bread 
and  water  as  a  beautiful  evidence  of  the  same,  and 
to  speak  together  of  religious  experience  for  the  pur- 
pose of  strengthening  each  other's  faith  and  magni- 
fying the  goodness  of  the  Lord.  The  feasts  of  char- 
ity were  held  by  the  primitive  Church  very  much  as 
Moravians  and  Methodists  now  hold  them.  Dr.  Ne- 
ander,  in  his  Life  of  Christ,  says,  "At  the  agapce,  or 
love-feasts,  all  distinctions  of  earthly  condition  and 
rank  were  to  disappear  in  Christ."  Tertulban  says, 
"  Our  supper  shows  its  character  by  its  name;  it  bears 
the  Greek  name  of  love."  The  following  scriptures 
allude  to  it:  "And  they  continued  steadfastly  in 
breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers."  (Acts  ii.  42.) 
"  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  disciples 
came  together  to  break  bread,"  etc.  (Acts  xx.  7.) 
"These  are  spots  in  your  feasts  of  charity,  when  they 
feast  with  you."  (Jude  12.)  The  love-feast  in  the 
Apostolic  Church  preceded  immediately  the  commun- 
ion of  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  Discipline  says,  "Love- 
feasts  shall  be  held  quarterly,  or  at  such  other  times 
as  the  preacher  may  consider  expedient."  They  are  to 
be  held  by  partaking  of  "a  little  bread  and  water  in 
token  of  brotherly  love." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

MINISTEKIAL  SUPPORT. 

The  Geounds  of  Ministerial  Support. 
It  is  certain  that  God  would  not,  and  most  assuredly 


Ministerial  Support.  163 

did  not,  establish  his  Church  on  earth  without  mak- 
ing ample  provisions  for  its  support  and  perpetuation. 
In  the  beginning  God  instituted  a  system  of  tithes  for 
the  express  purpose  of  maintaining  divine  worship. 
The  gold  and  silver  of  earth  were  stored  away  to  do  this. 
"  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fullness  thereof." 
Churches  cannot  be  built  without  money.  Mission- 
ary operations  cannot  be  carried  on  without  money. 
The  question  of  the  world's  conversion  is  largely  one 
of  money.  The  efficiency  of  the  ministry  is  largely 
dependent  upon  a  competent  support. 

I.  The  Divine  Law  on  the  Support  of  the 
Ministry. 

If  we  turn  to  this  law  as  recorded  by  Moses,  we 
shall  find  it  to  be  specific,  definite,  and  divinely  au- 
thoritative. Here  it  is:  "And  all  the  tithe  of  the  land, 
whether  of  the  seed  of  the  land,  or  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree,  is  the  Lord's;  it  is  holy  unto  the  Lord.  .  .  .  And 
concerning  the  tithe  of  the  herd,  or  of  the  flock,  .  .  . 
the  tenth  shall  be  holy  unto  the  Lord."  (Lev.  xxvii. 
30-32.) 

This  one-tenth  of  the  annual  increase  is  that  which  was 
required  from  the  beginning  as  the  least  that  would  meet 
the  requirements  of  God's  law.  This  was  emphatically 
the  Lord's  tenth,  and  by  him  was  wholly  applied  to  the 
support  of  his  ministering  servants  in  the  temple. 
To  withhold  this  was  to  steal  God's  property.  "  Will 
a  man  rob  God?  Yet  ye  have  robbed  me.  But  ye 
say,  Wherein  have  we  robbed  thee?  In  tithes  and 
offerings.'"  What  follows?  "Ye  are  cursed  with  a 
curse;  for  ye  have  robbed  me,  even  this  whole  nation." 

This  law  was  not  repealed  by  the  gospel  dispensation, 
but  fully  indorsed  by  Now  Testament  writers.     Paul 


104.  The  Metl tod  id  Armor. 

says:  "  Do  ye  not  know  that  they  which  minister  about 
holy  things  live  of  the  things  of  the  temple?  and  they 
which  wait  at  the  altar  are  partakers  with  the  altar? 
Even  so  hath  the  Lord  ordained  that  they  which  preach 
the  gospel  should  lice  of  the  gospel."  (1  Cor.  ix.  13, 14.) 
Thus  we  see  that  the  law  of  the  tithe  is  fully  indorsed 
by  the  apostle.  Jesus  sanctioned  the  great  liberal- 
ity of  Zaccheus  when  he  gave  "half  his  goods,"  com- 
mended the  example  of  the  poor  widow  who  gave  "  all 
her  living,"  and  said  concerning  the  law  that  he  "came 
not  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfill."  The  Church  is  the  same 
through  all  ages,  and  the  law  to  support  her  ministers 
must  be  the  same. 

"The  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness  thereof; 
the  world  and  they  that  dwell  therein."  The  earth  is 
God's  great  plantation,  and  man  is  his  tenant,  and 
nothing  can  be  more  reasonable  than  that  he  should 
require  a  tenth  to  support  his  ministers — this  is  his 
rental  money.  "  Now  this  truth  is  a  simple  and  even 
a  self-evident  one:  God  has  made  me,  and  I  and  all 
my  powers  belong  to  the  Maker.  He  has  made  the 
earth,  and  stored  it  with  all  its  wealth;  he  has  created 
the  natural  forces  and  laws  which  are  used  in  the  cre- 
ation of  wealth,  and  he  has  put  all  these  at  my  service. 
My  labor  is  his,  because  I  am  his  handiwork;  becauso 
I  am  dependent  upon  him  for  my  existence;  because, 
therefore,  my  supreme  allegiance  is  due  to  him;  and 
all  that  by  means  of  my  labor  I  get  out  of  the  earth  is 
his,  because  I  am  merely  taking  from  the  treasure- 
house  that  which"  he  previously  put  there.  All  the 
wealth  which  is  dug  out  of  the  earth  in  coal,  and  sil- 
ver, and  gold,  or  which  is  gathered  from  its  surface 
in  wheat  and  corn,  and  various  cereals  and  fruits,  or 


Ministerial  Support.  165 

which  is  indirectly  produced  by  changes  of  form, 
structure,  and  location,  by  the  power  of  steam,  or  by 
water-power,  or  by  the  wafting  winds  of  commerce,  is 
gathered  from  stores  which  he  has  accumulated  and 
made  valuable  by  means  of  powers  with  which  he  has 
endowed  us.  To  take  these  stores  and  employ  these 
powers  for  our  own  uses  and  purposes  is  just  as  truly 
an  act  of  dishonest  defalcation  as  for  the  clerk  to  take 
money  from  his  employer's  till  for  his  own  pocket." 

II.  The  Immense  Benefits  Arising  feom  the 
Diffusion  of  the  Gospel. 

The  gospel  is  worth  immensely  more  in  its  tempo- 
ral benefits  than  the  money  paid  in  building  churches 
and  supporting  ministers.     Let  us  look  at  this  point. 

1.  The  Gospel  Indirectly  Increases  Property— It  in- 
spires industry,  sharpens  the  intellects orbids  prodigal- 
ity, all  of  which  tend  to  the  accumulation  of  property. 
Educated  mind  finds  the  hidden  gold,  silver,  coal,  oil, 
and  utilizes  the  resources  of  nature,  which  lie  neg- 
lected by  a  savage  people.  On  this  continent,  where 
Indians  lived  for  ages  in  a  state  of  abject  poverty, 
Christian  people  have  made  princely  fortunes.  The 
richest  nations  on  earth  are  Christian  nations.  Wher- 
ever a  Christian  church  is  built,  it  adds  value  to  the 
property  surrounding  it. 

2.  The  Gospel  Gives  Security  to  Life,  Property,  and  Lib- 
erty.— The  sense  of  sacred  regard  for  the  rights  of 
others  has  been  developed  by  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  and  organized  into  laws  of  protection.  The 
blood  of  the  Cross  has  made  man  and  his  rights 
sacred.  In  ancient  Rome  human  life  was  trampled 
upon  as  dust.    "  Prisoners  taken  in  battle  were  bough! 


1G6  The  Methodist  Armor. 

up  by  traders,  who  followed  the  victorious  army,  and 
sold  as  cattle.  These  prisoneis  were  often  highly 
educated  men— Greeks,  Gauls,  Thracians,  Spaniards. 
The  Roman  emperors  sported  with  human  life.  Cra- 
seus  crucified  ten  thousand  prisoners  at  one  time. 
Trajan  made  ten  thousand  fight  in  the  amphitheater 
for  the  amusement  of  the  people,  and  prolonged  the 
bloody  feast  for  four  months." 

3.  The  Intellectual  Benefits  of  the  Gospel. — The  com- 
mon schools  for  the  education  of  the  masses  were  un- 
known till  the  introduction  of  the  gospel.  "  The  earli- 
est endeavors  to  educate  all  the  people  originated  in 
the  Christian  Church."  (Johnson's  Cyc.)  In  Greece 
and  Borne,  education  was  confined  to  the  few  sons  of 
the  noble  and  the  rich.  In  the  wake  of  the  gospel, 
schools  for  the  education  of  the  common  people  have 
sprung  up.  Another  fact  is  equally  clear,  namely, 
the  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  been  the  leaders  in 
founding  educational  institutions.  They  first  estab- 
lished them  in  Europe.  The  oldest  college  in  Amer- 
ica— Harvard — was  founded  by  John  Harvard,  a  min- 
ister. He  gave  $3,500  to  start  it.  Yale  College  was 
founded  by  eleven  ministers.  And  it  is  well  known 
that  the  colleges  in  North  Carolina  owe  their  exist- 
ence and  prosperity  to  ministers.  Of  the  three  hun- 
dred colleges  in  the  United  States,  two  hundred  and 
seventy  were  founded  by  the  Christian  Churches,  only 
thirty  by  State  authority. 

The  healthiest  and  most  luminous  literature  of  the 
world  is  the  fruit  of  the  gospel.  It  is  a  noted  fact 
that  Columbus  who  discovered  America,  Galileo  who 
discovered  the  satellites  of  Jupiter,  Newton  who  dis- 
covered the  law  of  gravitation,  and  other  famous  dis- 


Ministerial  Support.  167 

coverers  and  inventors,  were  all  born  and  educated 
in  countries  enlightened  by  the  gospel.  The  pulpit 
itself  is  a  great  popular  educator.  It  presents  the 
grandest  and  most  stirring  truths  to  arouse  the  pop- 
ular mind  to  a  sense  of  right  and  truth.  Christ  said 
to  his  apostles,  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world." 
Through  the  press,  Sunday-schools,  books,  and  the 
pulpit,  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  as  so  many 
moons  catching  the  light  from  "  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness "  and  reflecting  it  upon  the  people. 

\.  The  Benefits  of  Christian  Civilization. — Look  at  the 
worth  of  the  gospel  in  building  up  the  comforts  and 
conveniences  of  Christian  civilization.  Pagan  goAs- 
ernments  were  made  for  the  benefit  of  the  rulers, 
while  the  governed  millions  lay  under  the  iron  heel 
of  despots.  The  king  was  the  god,  while  the  people 
were  sheep  fleeced  by  him  —  a  cluster  of  grapes 
crushed  to  fill  his  cup  of  royal  gratification.  Think 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  casting  the  Hebrew  children  into 
a  fiery  furnace  because  they  would  not  obey  his  whim 
to  worship  a  golden  image;  of  Herod  slaughtering 
"  all  the  children  that  were  in  Bethlehem ; "  of  a  petty 
prince  slaying  a  man  to  warm  his  feet  in  his  blood! 
What  a  change  has  come  over  the  world!  The  gov- 
ernment  now  is  from  the  people  and  for  the  benefit 
of  the  people. 

Before  the  gospel  came,  children  were  supposed  to 
have  no  rights.  The  polished  Greeks  murdered  de- 
formed infants;  the  Carthagenians  sacrificed  theirs  to 
Moloch;  Spartan  laws  compelled  parents  to  cast  their 
sickly  children  away  into  deep  pits;  Roman  law  al- 
lowed parents  to  murder  their  children  with  impunity; 
China  for  ages  has  legalised  the  assassination  of  one. 


108  The  Methodist  Armor. 

third  of  her  infant  population;  in  East  India,  mothers 
cast  their  infants  into  the  river  Ganges  to  feed  the 
crocodiles;  but  Christ  says,  "Suffer  the  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  God."  Behold  the  Sunday- 
schools  organized  for  their  instruction;  see  how  par- 
ents work  for  them.  What  tenderness  is  exercised 
toward  those  that  are  deformed,  sickly,  blind,  or  oth- 
erwise unfortunate!  What  a  change  the  gospel  has 
•wrought! 

In  heathen  lands,  when  parents  grow  old,  blind,  and 
helpless,  their  children  carry  them  away  into  the  woods 
amd  kill  them.  Behold  how  differently  the  old,  the 
blind,  the  poor,  the  insane,  are  treated  in  Christian 
countries.  We  build  costly  asylums  for  their  com- 
fort. Look  at  your  comforts  in  this  Christian  land 
as  compared  with  ancient  times. 

"  When  Christ  came,  there  was  not  a  palace  in  Pal- 
estine that  possessed  the  comforts  which  have  be- 
come necessaries  in  Christendom  to-day.  There  was 
not  probably  a  glass  window,  certainly  not  a  chimney; 
books,  none;  lights  to  read  them  by  at  night,  none. 
There  were  few  roads,  almost  no  carriages,  no  banks, 
no  postal  conveniences.  There  was  not  honesty 
eaough  in  the  world  to  make  either  banking  or  post- 
ofiices  possible.  If  Cicero  wished  to  send  a  letter  from 
Home  to  Athens,  he  must  find  a  friend  or  hire  a  special 
messenger.  Even  so  late  as  the  present  century  the 
Shah  of  Persia  endeavored  in  vain  to  establish  a  postal 
system  in  his  empire,  and  could  not  for  want  of  integrity 
in  his  people.  To-day  there  are  neither  banks,  rail- 
roads, telegraphs,  nor  post-offices  except  in  Christen- 
dom, or  where  Christians  have  carried  them.     Tax- 


Ministerial  Support.  169 

afcion  robbed  the  industrious  of  all  their  earnings, 
leaving  them  not  always  enough  even  to  live  upon. 
Famines  were  common.  Money  was  hid  in  the  ground 
or  concentrated  in  garments,  jewelry,  and  precious 
stones;  no  other  investments  were  possible.  Poverty 
in  Rome  was  so  wide-spread  that  the  people  were 
saved  from  starvation  only  by  the  building  of  great 
granaries  by  the  government  and  the  distribution  of 
corn  at  a  merely  nominal  price.  The  pagan  religion 
did  so  little  for  the  common  people  that  in  Rome 
they  were  excluded  from  public  worship  and  denied 
the  use  of  the  omens.  Herds  of  beggars,  armies  of 
tramps,  mobs  that  finally  made  wreck  of  Rome  her- 
self, were  everywhere.  And  wealth  and  culture  had 
no  pity,  only  contempt,  for  them.  "  Repel  a  poor  man 
with  scorn,"  "  Fling  your  alms  to  a  beggar,  but  avoid 
all  contact  with  him,"  were  Roman  maxims  to  be 
found  in  such  authors  as  Quintilian  and  Seneca.  To 
such  a  world  the  proclamation  "  One  is  your  Father 
in  heaven,  and  all  ye  are  brethren,"  was  indeed  glad 
tidings  to  the  poor.  The  post-office,  the  bank,  the 
home,  are  all  Christian  institutions.  They  are  Christ's 
gifts  to  man. 

5.  Spiritual  Benefits  of  the  Ministry.  —  In  whatever 
country  Christianity  has  been  established,  it  has  been 
done  through  the  labors  and  sufferings  of  the  preach- 
ers. At  first  the  disciples  of  Christ  numbered  but 
twelve;  then  a  hundred  and  twenty;  then  three  thou- 
sand were  added.  Thus  we  see  that  Christianity  was 
once  but  a  mustard-seed.  But  it  has  grown  to  be  a  great 
tree,  overshadowing  much  of  the  world.  Under  the 
healing  influence  of  this  tree  of  life,  now  whole  na- 
tions repose  in  peace.     Planted  in  oar  country,  it? 


170  The  Methodist  Armor. 

fruitful  boughs  extend  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pa- 
ciiic  Ocean,  from  the  frozen  regions  of  the  North  to  the 
ever-blooming  flowers  of  the  South.  But  let  us  re- 
member that  it  was  planted  by  the  hands  of  the 
preachers — it  was  watered  by  their  tears  and  fertilized 
by  their  blood.  That  great  army  of  Christians,  num- 
bering its  hundreds  of  millions,  that  are  the  salt  of 
the  earth  and  light  of  the  world,  marching  on  their 
way  to  heaven  to-day,  were  converted  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  ministers. 

III.  The  Cheapness  of  Preaching. 

Sometimes  the  people  complain  that  the  preachers 
require  too  much  money.  Now,  we  assert  that  there  is 
no  class  of  men  of  the  same  ability  and  culture  who 
work  so  cheaply  as  preachers. 

1.  "We  think  the  ministers  are  equal  in  ability  and 
mental  culture  to  any  other  class  of  men;  yet,  while 
lawyers,  doctors,  and  good  business  men  average  about 
two  thousand  dollars  a  year,  the  salary  of  preachers 
will  not  average  more  than  five  hundred  dollars  a 
year.  The  amount  paid  to  the  lawyers  of  this  coun- 
try is  put  down  at  thirty-five  million,  that  paid  to  the 
ministers  at  seven  million — a  difference  of  twenty- 
eight  million. 

2.  Then  compare  the  expenses  of  the  ministry  with 
the  injurious  luxuries  of  the  people,  and  what  a  dif- 
ference! Thousands  are  paid  for  liquor,  useless  jew- 
elry, and  gaudy  raiment.  For  every  dollar  this  nation 
spends  for  the  ministry,  it  spends  seventy-six  dollars 
for  intoxicating  liquors.  North  Carolina  spends  twelve 
dollars  for  liquor  where  one  is  given  for  the  gospel. 

3.  It  is  a  sad  fact  that  heathen  spend  more  in  keep- 


Ministerial  Support.  171 

irig  up  their  forms  of  idolatry  than  Christians  do  in 
supporting  their  preachers.  The  annual  cost  of  a 
heathen  temple  in  India  is  set  down  at  four  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars — a  little  more,  perhaps, 
than  is  paid  to  all  the  ministers  in  North  Carolina. 
The  annual  expenses  of  keeping  one  idol  in  Khun- 
doba  is  put  down  at  thirty  thousand  dollars.  Dr. 
Duff  says  that  one  pagan  festival  cost  two  million 
dollars. 

4.  It  is  stated  on  good  authority  that  the  dogs  cost 
this  nation  more  than  the  preachers.  It  is  estimated 
that  the  dogs  cost  the  country  sixteen  million  dollars, 
while  preachers  cost  only  seven  million  dollars.  Let 
us  hear  no  more  nonsense  about  the  high  cost  of 
preaching,  since  it  is  demonstrated  that  there  is  noth- 
ing in  all  this  land  so  cheap  as  the  ministry  when  we 
consider  their  talents  and  the  benefits  of  their  preach- 
ing. 

IV.  The  Ability  of  the  People  to  Pay. 

That  the  professed  followers  of  Christ  in  our  day 
and  country  possess  a  large  share  of  this  world's 
riches  is  plain  to  the  most  casual  observer.  They 
own  broad  acres  of  fertile  land  on  which  the  great 
staples  of  cotton,  corn,  wheat,  tobacco,  and  fruits  are 
grown  under  the  warmth  of  God's  sun  and  the  show- 
ers of  his  rain.  Others  are  engaged  in  the  profitable 
business  of  merchandising,  mining,  manufacturing, 
banking,  and  other  spheres  of  trade.  There  are  en- 
gineers, architects,  lawyers,  physicians,  authors,  ed- 
itors, school-teachers,  belonging  to  the  Church  of 
Christ.  Most  of  the  immense  wealth  of  this  country 
is  in  the  hands  of  professed  Christians.  The  wealth 
of  this  country  is  not  held  by  infidels.     Why,  then, 


172  The  Methodist  Armor. 

does  the  cause  of  the  Lord  languish  for  the  waul  oi 
money?  Why,  then,  do  Church  interests  languish  for 
the  want  of  money?  We  call  attention  to  the  follow- 
ing reasons: 

1.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  love  of  money  is  too 
prevalent  among  the  professors  of  religion.  There  is 
a  grasping  spirit  that  will  not  let  money  go  to  pay  the 
expenses  of  the  gospel.  Covetousness  is  the  plague- 
spot  of  the  Church.  It  is  a  consuming  cancer,  eat- 
ing up  the  spirit  of  liberality — a  fatal  upas-tree, 
blighting  all  that  is  green  around  it.  It  is  the  opium 
that  makes  the  Church  sleep  and  snore  over  the  plain 
duty  of  giving  liberally  to  the  cause  of  the  Lord. 
And  this  covetousness,  this  inordinate  love  of  money, 
the  apostle  boldly  defines  to  be  idolatry.  This  golden 
calf,  worshiped  in  so  many  families,  keeps  the  car  of 
the  gospel  from  rolling  around  the  earth  to  spread 
the  gladness  of  salvation  to  earth's  remotest  bounds. 
O  that  this  money-loving  spirit  was  rooted  out  of  the 
Church! 

2.  Another  reason  why  so  many  Churches  fail  to 
get  the  amount  needed  is  due  to  the  fact  that  they  do 
not  reach  the  masses.  Drops,  though  small  in  them- 
selves, when  combined  make  the  mighty  rivers  and 
flowing  oceans,  and  oceans  water  the  world.  When 
even  pennies  are  collected  from  the  million,  they 
constitute  vast  sums  cf  money.  Governments  have 
millions  of  dollars  in  their  treasuries,  because  they 
so  levy  taxes  and  revenues  as  to  reach  all  classes. 
The  great  secret  of  the  Bom  an  Catholic  Church  hav- 
ing such  vast  pecuniary  resources  lies  in  the  fact  of 
collecting  pennies  from  the  million  masses.  The 
pecuniary  resources  of  English  Methodism  are  far  in 


Ministerial  Support.  173 

advance  of  American  Methodism,  because  their  sys- 
tem reaches  all  the  poor  classes. 

3.  Another  cause  of  failure  is  found  in  the  use  of 
bad  plans.     The  worst  of  all  plans  is: 

(1)  The  Annual  Payment  Plan. — While  this  plan  is 
the  worst,  it  is  the  most  prevalent  in  our  Church.  It 
has  many  bad  features  about  it — such  as  forcing  the 
preacher  to  contract  large  debts  to  procure  the  nec- 
essaries of  life.  It  seems  much  heavier  to  the  mem- 
bers to  pay  twenty  dollars  at  the  close  of  the  yeai 
than  to  have  paid  in  four  or  twelve  installments. 
The  preacher  loses  a  great  deal  by  the  collection 
being  put  off  until  the  last  of  the  year.  Many  who 
could  and  would  have  paid,  if  applied  to  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year,  have  moved  away,  died,  become 
unable,  or  cannot  be  seen  when  the  preacher  is  leav- 
ing. 

This  plan  is  a  failure  as  seen  in  the  amount  it  se- 
cures. It  allows  a  present  and  pressing  duty  to  be 
put  off  to  the  remote  future.  It  gives  time  and  space 
to  the  groAvth  of  selfishness  and  covetousness.  Con- 
stant giving  tends  to  abate  the  force  of  avarice,  but 
these  annual  payments  nourish  the  besetting  sin  of 
covetousness,  which  is  idolatry. 

(2)  The  Quarterly  Payment  Plan. — The  quarterly 
payment  plan  is  a  great  improvement  on  the  annual. 
Assess  every  member  of  your  church  something  and 
be  sure  to  collect  one-fourth  of  it  quarterly,  and  it 
will  revolutionize  our  Church  finances.  We  have  re 
marked  before  that  one  of  the  most  potent  causes  ot 
failure  lies  in  the  fact  that  our  system  does  not  reach 
the  entire  membership — it  leaves  out  a  large  number, 
who  therefore  contribute  nothing. 


174  The  Methodist  Armor. 

To  illustrate:  South  Fork  Circuit  has  six  hundred 
and  thirty-two  members,  and  paid  last  year  to  the 
pastor  and  presiding  elder,  $509.  Let  us  suppose 
that  three  hundred  of  these  members  should  agree  to 
pay  quarterly  each  25  cents — that  would  make  for  the 
year  $300;  two  hundred  to  pay  quarterly  each  30 
cents,  $240;  one  hundred  to  pay  quarterly  each  50 
cents,  $200;  twenty  to  pay  quarterly  each  $1,  $80; 
twelve  to  pay  quarterly  each  $2,  $96;  which  would 
make  a  total  of  $916,  and  a  difference  of  $407  more 
than  was  paid  by  the  same  people  worked  under  the 
old  plan  of  annual  payments. 

Now,  observe  that  in  the  calculation  it  is  the  many 
small  sums  which  swell  the  amount.  Second,  that  it 
is  perfectly  easy  for  nine-tenths  of  the  poorest  classes 
to  raise  and  pay  in  twenty-five  cents  during  the  space 
of  three  months — which  would  be  but  two  cents  a 
week. 

(3)  The  Monthly  Payment  Plan. — The  working  of 
this  plan  is  simple  and  successful.  To  illustrate: 
We  will  take  Double  Shoals  Circuit.  It  has  700 
members.  It  paid  to  the  pastor  and  presiding  elder 
less  than  $500  last  year.  Let  us  try  it  on  another 
plan: 

5  persons  give  eacli  $2.00  monthly,     .       .      .      .  $120 
'         ....        120 

' 120 

!    ....   150 

1 120 

.   .   .   .   _309 
$939 

This  amount  is  nearly  double  what  that  circuit  is 
in  the  habit  of  giving,  and  no  doubt  it  will  startle 
the  members  when  they  read  it;  and  yet  by  assessing 


10 

1.00 

20 

50 

50 

25 

100 

10 

515    " 

5 

700  members. 

Ministerial  Support.  175 

all  the  members  according  to  this  plan,  and  collect- 
ing monthly,  it  would  certainly  be  realized. 

(4)  The  Weekly  Payment  Plan. — The  plan  of  paying 
weekly  has  many  excellent  features.  This  plan  has 
been  crowned  with  more  signal  success  than  any 
other.  It  secures  the  largest  amount  of  money,  and 
is  less  burdensome  upon  individuals.  This  system 
secures  the  small  gifts  of  the  congregation  and  swells 
them  into  one  large  volume.  It  is  much  easier  to 
pay  twenty-five  cents  a  week  than  thirteen  dollars 
once  a  year.  It  is  easier  to  pay  a  dollar  every  week 
than  fifty  at  one  time.  It  is  simply  astonishing  to 
observe  how  fast  little  sums  paid  weekly  amount  to 
great  ones.  A  certain  pastor  says:  "How  much  do 
you  think  the  contributions  of  five  cents  a  week 
amounted  to  in  my  church  last  year?  Fifty-eight 
persons  gave  five  cents  a  week,  and  the  sum  total 
was  $153.70.  Fifty  persons  gave  ten  cents  each  ev- 
ery week,  and  the  sum  total  of  their  offerings  was 
$265— two  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars  in  ten-cent 
pieces.  Thirty-three  persons  gave  twenty-five  cents 
each  week,  and  it  amounted  to  $437.25,  and  the  en- 
tire amount  given  in  sums  ranging  from  one  cent  to 
twenty-five  cents  was  $1,119.84.  Thirty-two  persons 
gave  fifty  cents  each  week,  and  their  total  was  $848. 
Fourteen  persons  gave  one  dollar  each  week,  and  to- 
gether contributed  $742;  while  the  whole  amount  in 
sums  of  from  one  cent  to  one  dollar  a  week  was 
83,094.14,  and  was  given  by  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  members." 

Here  is  the  weighty  argument  in  favor  of  constant 
and  frequent  paying.  The  serious  blunder  in  the 
old  method  is  that  the  few  give  and  not  the  manv 


176  The  Methodist  Armor. 

The  second  great  blunder  is  the  wide-stretching  space 
between  the  times  of  giving.  The  two  points  in  the 
pecuniary  reformation  are  very  plain — frequency  as 
to  time,  and  universality  as  to  the  payers.  Let  every- 
body pay,  and  pay  quarterly,  monthly,  or  weekly.  All 
at  it  and  always  at  it  will  generate  pecuniary  steam 
enough  to  shoot  the  gospel-car  around  the  world  in 
a  few  years.  "The  successful  plan,  then,  is  the  one 
that  secures  the  small  gifts  from  many  givers,  at  reg- 
ular and  frequent  intervals." 

V.  The  Amount  to  be  Given. 
The  grand  cause  of  failure  is  that  payers  pay  too  lit- 
tle. It  is  a  sad  fact  that  men  do  not  give  enough  who 
are  in  the  habit  of  giving.  Hardly  one  man  in  a  hun- 
dred does  his  uhole  duty  as  to  the  amount  he  ought  to 
give. 

1.  How  much  should  a  Christian  give? 
Ans.  One-tenth  of  his  income. 

2.  Does  the  Bible  require  the  payment  of  one-tenth 
to  the  Lord? 

Ans,  Yes.  Abraham  paid  tithes.  (Gen.  xiv.  20.) 
Jacob  promised  one-tenth  of  his  income,  and  kept  his 
promise.  (Gen.  xxviii.  22.)  The  language  of  the 
fourth  commandment,  "The  seventh  day  is  the  Sab- 
bath of  the  Lord  thy  God,"  is  no  more  emphatic  than 
the  law  of  the  tithes.  "All  the  tithe  of  the  land, 
whether  of  the  seed  of  the  land,  or  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree,  is  the  Lord's:  it  is  holy  unto  the  Lord."  (Lev. 
xxvii.  27.)  Holy  means  devoted  or  consecrated  to  the 
Lord.  In  Num.  xviii.  21,  he  says:  "I  have  given  the 
children  of  Levi  [the  priests]  all  the  tenth  in  Israel 
for  an  inheritance."  This  one-tenth  of  the-  increase 
is  that  which  was  required  from  the  beginning  as  the 


Ministerial  Support.  177 

least  that  would  meet  the  requirement  of  God's  law. 
This  is  still  emphatically  the  Lord's  tenth,  and  by  him 
it  was  wholly  assigned  to  the  support  of  bis  servants. 

3.  Was  not  a  portion  of  the  Jewish  tithes  applied 
as  taxes  to  the  support  of  the  state  as  well  as  the  sup- 
port of  the  priests  ? 

Ans.  No.  God  appropriated  the  tithes  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  Levites — the  priests.  The  government 
was  supported  by  presents,  by  the  products  of  the 
royal  flock,  by  vineyards,  by  the  spoils  of  conquered 
nations  and  of  merchants  passing  through  the  coun- 
try, by  taxes  and  tolls.  The  treasuries  of  the  Lord's 
house  and  the  king's  were  distinct. 

4.  Was  the  law  of  tithes  perpetual  in  Hebrew  his- 
tory?    Was  it  always  binding? 

Ans.  Abraham  paid  tithes,  so  did  Jacob;  so  it  is 
fair  to  presume  did  all  the  patriarchs.  More  than  a 
thousand  years  after  the  death  of  Moses,  God,  through 
Malachi,  denounced  the  Jews  for  not  paying  their 
tithes.  They  were  uniformly  prosperous  when  they 
paid  them,  and  adversity  was  certain  when  they  did 
not. 

5.  Were  not  the  blessings  promised  for  payment  of 
tithes  spiritual  rather  than  temporal? 

Ans.  Both  temporal  and  spiritual.  God  united 
them,  why  should  we  separate  them  ?  Read  the  third 
chapter  of  Malachi,  perhaps  the  strongest  in  the  Bi- 
ble on  that  subject.  The  promises  there  have  almost 
Bole  reference  to  temporal  blessings. 

C.  Did  our  Saviour  sanction  the  payment  of  tithes? 

Ans.     Yes.     Read  Matt,  xxiii.  23  and  Luke  xi.  42. 

7.  But  did  he  command  that  tithes  be  paid? 

Ans.  Not  directly,  that  we  know  of;  but  he  recog 

12 


178  The  Method/ si  Armor. 

nized  the  law,  commended  it,  and  did  not  abrogate  it. 
He  did  not  command  the  keeping  of  the  Sabbath,  but 
neither  did  he  abrogate  the  law,  and  we  all  regard  it  as 
binding.  There  was  no  need  to  command  the  Jews  ei- 
ther to  keep  the  Sabbath  or  to  observe  the  law  of  tithes. 
They  did  both  so  scrupulously,  and  in  such  detail,  that, 
while  our  Saviour  commended  the  observance  of  both 
laws,  he  reproved  them  for  sacrificing  the  spirit  for 
the  form. 

8.  I  cannot  afford  to  give  one-tenth  of  my  income. 
Ans.  How  do  you  know?    Did  you  ever  try  it?  ever 

know  anyone  who  had  practiced  it  that  was  not  there- 
by prospered,  no  matter  how  rich,  no  matter  how  poor, 
no  matter  how  small  the  income,  no  matter  how  large 
the  family?  Do  you  think  your  Heavenly  Father  will 
make  an  exception  in  your  case  and  not  keep  his  prom- 
ise with  you?  Can  you  afford  not  to  do  it?  To  which 
of  two  men  would  you  rather  lend  money  without  se- 
curity, one  who  observed  this  rule,  or  one  who  did  not, 
both  being  equally  honest,  equally  worthy,  and  pos- 
sessed of  equal  advantages  and  abilities  ? 

9.  Why  not  practice  the  New  Testament  rule  — 
"  Give  as  God  has  prospered  you?" 

Ans.  Certainly.  That  is  an  Old  Testament  rule 
also.  But  how  much?  what  proportion — one -twen- 
tieth, one-fifth,  one-tenth,  or  just  as  you  happen  to 
feel  at  the  time?  One-tenth  of  the  prosperity  was 
God's  rule  then;  when  was  it  changed,  and  what  is 
the  New  Testament  proportion? 

10.  Suppose  I  should  resolve  to  be,  and  should  bo, 
liberal  in  my  gifts,  may  I  not  count  upon  equal  tempo- 
ral and  spiritual  blessings  as  if  I  gave  proportionately? 

Ans.  No.     God's  estimate  of  liberality  may  differ 


Ministerial  Support.  170 

from  yours.  To  which  of  two  men  would  you  rent 
land  or  lend  money,  one  promising,  "  I  will  be  as  liber- 
al as  I  can  afford  in  the  matter  of  payment  of  rent  or 
interest,  I  will  from  time  to  time  pay  what  I  think  is 
right,  but  /  intend  to  be  liberal; "  the  other,  "I  will  do 
the  best  I  can  with  what  you  intrust  to  my  care,  and  I 
will  pay  you  a  definite  proportion  of  the  income?" 
Which  would  you  honor  most?  Which  would  most 
honor  you?  Which  would  serve  you  and  your  inter- 
ests best?  To  your  possible  objection  that  there  is  too 
much  of  a  business  air  about  this  illustration,  the  reply 
is  that  there  is  a  wonderful  amount  of  business  in  God's 
dealings  with  us.  The  Bible  contains  very  many  of  the 
truest  business  maxims  ever  written,  and  God's  prom- 
ises apply  both  to  our  temporal  and  spiritual  interests. 

11.  Should  a  young  man  just  commencing  to  make 
his  own  living,  or  a  poor  man  with  a  family  to  support, 
set  apart  one-tenth  of  the  income? 

Ans.  Yes;  and  because  the  remaining  nine-tenths 
will  have  God's  promised  richer  blessing,  and  go  fur- 
ther. Suppose  you  were  asked  a  parallel  question, 
"  Do  you  think  a  poor  man  can  afford  to  spend  every 
seventh  day  resting,  doing  nothing,  wasting  it  so  far 
as  income  is  concerned?"  Your  answer  would  be— 
and  you  would  be  right — that  no  matter  what  his  cir- 
cumstances he  would  be  poorer,  in  dollars  and  cents, 
if  he  worked  than  if  he  rested  on  the  Sabbath.  Be- 
rn ember  we  are  dealing  in  facts,  not  theories,  and  the 
facts  are  all  on  one  side,  both  as  regards  the  spending 
for  our  own  use  seventh  of  time  and  tenth  of  income. 

12.  A  farmer  asks,  "  How  shall  I  arrive  at  one-tenth 
of  my  income?" 

A  us.  The  common  way  with  most  persons  is  to  set 


lyO  The  Methodist  Armor. 

apart,  harvest,  market,  and  keep  separate  the  proceeds 
of  every  tenth  acre  or  part  of  an  acre.  This  is  the 
"one-tenth  fund"  from  which  you  will  draw  and  pay 
out  as  you  deem  best.  Another  and,  to  many,  an 
easier  way  is  to  put  into  this  fund  one-tenth  of  the 
proceeds  of  every  article  sold  from  the  farm.  When 
this  plan  is  adopted,  a  yearly  estimate  should  be  made 
of  the  value  of  the  products  of  the  farm  consumed  by 
the  family,  and  this  also  should  be  tithed. 

13.  A  minister  asks,  "Shall  I  tithe  my  income?" 
Ans.  Yes;  upon  precisely  the  same  principle  that 

otheis  do. 

14.  "  Suppose  my  people  do  not  pay  me  what  they 
agree?  " 

Ans.  Tithe  what  you  receive. 

15.  A  physician  asks,  "Shall  I  deduct  from  the 
tenth  the  value  of  services  I  gratuitously  render  to 
the  poor?" 

Ans.  No.  It  is  in  the  line  of  your  prof  ession,  a  part 
of  your  business  losses  or  business  expenses,  and 
probably  pays  you  better  than  any  form  of  adver- 
tising known  to  business  men. 

16.  When  should  I  commence? 

Ans.  Now.  Or,  if  you  desire,  you  can  make  an  esti- 
mate of  your  income  back  to  any  given  time,  and  also 
what  you  have  given  for  the  same  time.  Keep  a  cor- 
rect account  to  the  end  of  the  year,  then  close  the  ac- 
count, and  carry  forward  any  balance. 

17.  Suppose  I  am  in  debt,  should  my  debts  be  paid 
first? 

Ans.  No.  Your  debt  to  God  is  paramount.  It  is 
one-tenth  of  your  weekly,  monthly,  or  yearly  income. 
Pay  that  as  it  accrues,  and  his  promised  blessing  will 


Ministerial  Support.  18] 

enable  you  the  more  easily  and  rapidly  to  pay  what 
you  owe  to  others. 

18.  Should  I  tithe  my  capital  ? 

Ans.  No.  Your  capital,  whether  brains,  or  hands, 
or  money,  or  property  in  any  form,  is  that  out  of  which 
you  make  your  income.  Pay  the  tenth  of  your  income, 
or,  as  the  Bible  has  it,  of  the  "  increase." 

19.  How  shall  I  keep  the  account? 

Ans.  Use  a  memorandum-book,  or  a  page  of  any 
blank-book,  putting  down  every  item  you  give.  Add 
up  and  look  over  the  account  frequently,  in  order  to 
keep  the  matter  well  in  mind.  Another  and  often  a 
better  way  is  to  have  a  "  one-tenth  box,"  and  be  scru- 
pulously exact  in  putting  into  it  one-tenth  of  the  in- 
come when  it  is  received.  This  will  be  the  Lord's 
treasury  from  which  you  will  draw  to  give  to  worthy 
objects,  as  your  judgment  may  dictate. 

The  Prosperity  of  Liberal  Payers. 

What  evidence  is  there  outside  of  the  Bible  that 
all  who  observe  this  law  will  be  prospered  in  tempo- 
ral interests  to  a  greater  degree  than  if  they  did  not? 

Ans.  The  accumulated  testimony  through  all  ages 
of  those  who  have  tried  it  is  that  it  is  true. 

Within  the  last  four  years  a  circular  has  been  sent 
to  more  than  fifteen  thousand  evangelical  ministers 
in  the  United  States,  in  which  occurs  the  following 
statement  and  question  : 

"  My  belief  is  that  God  blesses  in  temporal  as  web 
as  in  spiritual  things  the  man  who  honors  him  by 
setting  apart  a  stated  part  of  his  income  to  his  serv- 
ice.    I  have  never  known  an  exception.    Have  you?" 

A  little  pamphlet  containing  the  same  question  has 


1S2  The  Methodist  Armor. 

been  carefully  distributed  among  more  than  five  hun- 
dred thousand  laymen,  asking  if  they  knew  of  any  ex- 
ceptions to  the  rule.  Hundreds,  probably  thousands, 
of  facts  and  experiences  have  been  collected.  A  few 
are  inserted.  So  far  as  is  known,  there  are  no  real 
exceptions.  Do  you  know  of  any  ?  If  so,  will  you  tell 
youi  pastor,  and  ask  him  to  give  the  circumstances? 

A  large  portion  of  the  following  testimonials  were 
published  first  in  1879,  and  were  selected  within  a 
short  time  largely  from  replies  to  the  circular  which 
was  then  being  sent  to  Methodist  ministers.  Proba- 
bly a  greater  proportion  of  similar  replies  were  re- 
ceived from  Presbyterian,  Congregational,  and  Epis- 
copal ministers,  and  a  slightly  less  proportion  from 
Baptist.  Similar  testimonials  have  been  received  al- 
most every  day  for  years.  These  are  published  only 
to  emphasize  and  add  stronger  proof  if  possible  to  the 
advantages  of  paying  back  to  God  one-tenth  of  our 
income. 

From  a  pastor  in  New  Jersey:  "I  commenced  the 
practice  when  in  a  condition  of  deep  financial  embar- 
rassment, and  the  way  brightens  in  that  direction  each 
step  I  take." 

From  a  pastor  in  Michigan:  "My  father  lived  that 
r  ide  and  prospered.  I  have  for  eight  years  since  leav- 
iug  the  seminary,  and  have  prospered.  The  wealthi- 
est man  in  my  church  and  community  has  lived  by  it." 

From  a  pastor  in  Indiana:  "One  brother  in  my 
charge  made  a  written  contract  that  he  would  give  to 
the  Lord  one-tenth  of  his  annual  income.  He  was 
poor  then;  he  now  gives  hundreds  of  dollars  annu- 
ally." 

From  a  pastor  in  AVest  Virginia:  "  During  a  recent 


Ministerial  Support.  183 

pastorate  in  Baltimore  city,  I  was  struck  with  the  fact 
that  the  only  business  man  in  my  church  not  serious- 
ly affected  by  the  hard  times  was  the  solitary  individ- 
ual who  gave  proportionately." 

From  a  pastor  in  Maine :  "  I  have  known  some  min- 
isters who  have  done  this  for  many  years.  Such  have 
invariably  had  prosperity.  The  Bible  doctrine  and 
practice  are  safe  and  true." 

From  a  pastor  in  Pennsylvania:  "  Mr. told  me 

that  from  the  day  of  his  conversion  he  commenced  giv- 
ing one-tenth  to  the  cause  of  God,  and  during  the  f  ol- 
lowing  eleven  years  he  gave  more  than  he  was  worth 
when  converted,  and  that  God  prospered  him  so  that 
he  was  worth  after  the  eleven  years  of  giving  ten  times 
more  than  before." 

From  a  pastor  in  Ohio:  "  One  man  in  my  congrega- 
tion has  practiced  this  course.  He  was  a,t  one  time 
very  prosperous,  then  he  almost  failed  in  business; 
yet  one-tenth  of  his  gross  income  always  found  its  way 
into  benevolent  enterprises.  People  were  astonished 
at  his  tenacity,  and  now  he  is  better  off  than  ever.  His 
offerings  are  increasing  from  year  to  year." 

From  a  pastor  in  Ohio :  "  I  have  an  uncle,  who,  until 
he  decided  to  give  systematically  one-tenth  of  his  in- 
come, was  in  straitened  circumstances.  For  several 
years  of  late,  giving  as  above,  he  has  been  greatly 
prospered  spiritually,  and  especially  financially.  He 
is  now  quite  independent." 

From  a  pastor  in  Georgia:  "An  intelligent  lady  of 
my  church,  on  the  death  of  her  husband,  adopted  the 
rule,  and  not  only  has  she  been  blessed  personally, 
but  her  four  daughters,  and  indeed  all  of  her  seven 
children,  seem  to  be  the  objects  of  Divine  favor.    Al' 


184  The  Methodist  Armor. 

are  prospering  temporally,  and  all  save  the  little  boy 
are  consistent  Christians." 

From  a  pastor  in  Pennsylvania:  "  I  was  in  doubt  for 
a  long  time  that  I  ought  to  give  largely  to  benevolence 
while  I  was  in  debt.  I  began  to  doubt,  however,  after 
a  hard  and  unsuccessful  struggle  to  get  out  of  debt, 
that  I  should  ever  succeed.  At  length  I  was  per- 
suaded that  I  was  '  robbing  God '  to  pay  my  credit- 
ors. My  wife  and  I  consulted  over  the  matter,  and 
decided  to  give  a  tenth,  which  we  have  done,  and  God 
is  prospering  us  beyond  any  previous  experience." 

From  a  pastor  in  Northern  New  York:  "In  a  for- 
mer charge  I  had  one  member  who  gave  a  tenth  of 
all  to  the  Lord,  and  to-day  he  is  worth  forty  thou- 
sand dollars.  When  I  first  became  acquainted  with 
him,  twenty  years  ago,  he  was  worth  perhaps  two 
thousand  dollars.     He  is  a  farmer." 

From  a  pastor  in  Northern  New  York:  "A  whole- 
sale merchant  of  my  acquaintance  came  to  this  coun- 
try from  England  when  a  young  man,  and  on  arriv- 
ing had  some  three  hundred  dollars,  which  he  loaned, 
and  worked  as  a  journeyman  tailor.  He  opened  an 
account  at  that  time,  giving  one-tenth  of  his  income 
to  benevolence,  and  has  conscientiously  continued 
until  this  time,  giving  in  the  aggregate  many  thou- 
sands of  dollars.  He  is  now  distributing  thousands 
annually." 

From  a  pastor  in  Iowa:  "One  of  the  richest  and 
most  influential  men  of  this  State  is  a  layman  in  the 

M.  E.  Church  in .     He  has  religiously  adhered 

to  the  one-tenth  plan,  and  great  prosperity  and  honoi 
have  been  his.  Numerous  such  instances  have  comt 
to  me  in  my  ministry." 


Ministerial  Support.  185 

From  a  pastor  in  New  Jersey:  "For  many  years  I 
have  adopted  the  plan  of  giving  one-tenth,  never  go- 
ing below  it,  and  in  all  these  years  have  steadily 
prospered  in  worldly  things.  When  rny  giving  was 
irregular,  small,  and  spasmodic,  my  temporal  affairs 
followed  in  the  same  line." 

From  a  pastor  in  Ohio:  "A  gentleman  of  my  ac- 
quaintance formerly  had  a  little  wagon-shop.  It  was 
with  great  difficulty  that  he  made  a  living  for  his 
family.  He  was  called  poor,  and  also  had  the  repu- 
tation of  being  close.  One  Sabbath,  at  our  mission- 
ary anniversary,  he  surprised  us  by  giving  a  liberal 
contribution.  The  wonder  was,  What  made  him  do 
it?  It  soon  became  known  that  he  had  resolved  to 
give  one-tenth  to  the  Lord.  It  seems  from  that  time 
he  began  to  prosper.  Business  increased,  opportuni- 
ties opened  before  him.  To-day  he  lives  in  one  of  tbje 
finest  houses  in  the  city,  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  men 

in  the  Church  in  C ,  and  is  a  whole-souled, 

generous  Christian." 

From  a  pastor  in  New  York:  "I  have  been  in  the 
active  work  of  a  pastor  thirty-seven  years,  and  have 
been  an  observer  of  the  results  of  Christian  giving, 
and  I  have  never  known  one  case  where  a  Christian 
faithfully  and  uniformly  gave  conscientiously  and 
proportionately  who  was  not  highly"  prospered  in  his 
temporal  affairs.  These  are  the  very  men  God  can 
trust  with  earthly  goods." 

From  a  pastor  in  Missouri :  "  I  have  been  person- 
ally acquainted  with  but  two  men  who  have  made  it 
a  rule  to  give  unto  the  Lord  the  tenth  of  their  in- 
crease, and  they  were  prospered  exceedingly." 

From  a  pastor  in  Kentucky:    "Proportionate  gi\ 


18G  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ing,  as  it  lias  passed  under  my  observation,  has  been 
in  every  instance  attended  with  prosperity;  I  may 
say  with  double  prosperity.  The  givers  have  pros- 
pered in  worldly  good,  and  also  in  spiritual  life." 

From  a  pastor  in  Pennsylvania:  "Some  time  ago 
I  was  receiving  from  a  Christian  gentleman  in  Phil- 
adelphia certain  things  needed  in  my  church.  He 
told  me  to  make  my  own  selection  from  the  Lord's 
portion;  and  remarked  that  for  thirty  years  he  had 
been  giving  the  tenth  of  his  increase  to  the  Lord. 
He  commenced  business  on  this  principle;  and  din- 
ing all  that  time  he  has  been  enabled  to  pay  one 
hundred  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  every  year  has  had 
more  and  more  to  give  back  to  Him  from  whom  he 
received  every  good  and  perfect  gift." 

From  a  pastor  in  Maryland:  "I  have  had  a  great 
deal  to  do  with  the  finances  of  the  Church  for  years, 
and  believe  the  systematic  plan  is  the  best.  I  know 
a  brother  in  the  Church  who  commenced  on  a  small 
business  capital,  and  covenanted  with  God  (wrote  his 
pledge  in  a  book)  if  he  would  prosper  him  he  would 
give  one-tenth  till  he  was  worth  ten  thousand  dollars, 
and  then  would  give  one-fourth  until  worth  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  after  that  give  his  whole 
income.  In  1858  and  1859  I  was  his  pastor,  and  he 
was  then  giving  one-fourth.  Since  that  time  he  has 
become  Avorth  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  and  now 
gives  all  his  income." 

From  a  pastor  in  Philadelphia:  "  Twenty-five  years 
ago,  when  I  had  nothing  but  my  salary  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars  a  year,  as  a  junior  traveling  minister  of 
the  Philadelphia  Conference,  I-  adopted  the  plan  of 
devoting  regularly  ono-tenth  of   my  income  to  char- 


Ministerial  Support.  187 

itable  and  religious  objects.  I  have  adhered  to  the 
plan.  God  has  graciously  favored  me  in  my  minis- 
try and  blessed  me  in  temporal  things.  I  have  been 
enabled  to  give  away  thousands,  and  have  thousands 
left." 

From  a  pastor  in  New  York:  "I  commenced  giv- 
ing a  tenth  years  ago,  when  I  found  that  I  was 
spending  all  my  salary  and  it  was  hard  to  give  any 
thing.  I  have  found  it  a  great  comfort  and  pleasure 
to  me  ever  since.  One  of  my  younger  elders  com- 
menced the  practice  some  years  since,  and  no  one 
among  us  has  been  so  prospered  in  business  as  he, 
or  gives  so  much.  I  know  a  wealthy  banker,  a  Pres- 
byterian elder,  who  commenced  to  do  the  same  when 
a  young  man,  with  little  means,  and  now  his  gifts 
are  large." 

From  a  pastor  in  Iowa:  "I  knew  a  merchant  who 
gave  ten  per  cent,  of  his  income.  His  business  pros- 
pered, and  better  still,  he  grew  as  a  Christian,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  devout,  humble,  and  spiritually- 
minded  Christians  I  ever  knew.  If  he  was  thanked 
for  a  gift  to  some  good  object,  his  reply  was,  'You 
don't  need  to  thank  me,  it  is  the  Lord's  money;'  re- 
ferring to  his  custom  of  laying  aside  a  certain  por- 
tion of  his  profits  for  the  Lord's  work." 

From  a  pastor  in  Ohio:  "I  have  practiced  giving 
the  tenth  of  my  in  come  to  the  Lord  for  years,  and 
find  that  I  give  more  money  and  give  it  more  cheer- 
fully, and  I  think  more  intelligently,  than  before.  I 
have  known  several  who  adopted  this  rule,  and  in 
every  case  it  worked  well.  One  man  who  gave  a 
tenth,  and  was  greatly  prospered  (giving  one  year,  to 
m\  knowledge,  eighteen  hundred  dollars),  was  broken 


1SS  The  Methodist  Armor. 

up  in  business  by  a  company  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected; but  I  saw  him  in  his  adversity,  and  he  wag 
the  same  happy  Christian  man  as  formerly.  He  la- 
bored to  glorify  God  with  his  wealth  when  he  had  it, 
and  when  it  took  wings  and  new  away  he  did  not 
mourn  over  it.  The  last  I  heard  the  Lord  was  bless- 
ing him  again  in  temporal  matters." 

From  a  pastor  in  Indiana:  "It  is  my  judgment 
that  there  is  nothing  that  will  so  foster  exact  and 
honest  business  habits  in  all  other  things  as  system- 
atic paying  to  the  Lord  what  we  owe  him.  This,  of 
itself,  will  make  for  any  of  us  many  more  dollars  than 
it  costs  us  in  tithes  and  offerings.  Really,  to  be  hon- 
est with  God  is  one  of  the  most  selfish  things  I  know 
of,  for  it  comes  back  a  hundred-fold  or  more  every 
time.  I  have  a  friend  (one  of  the  most  prominent 
physicians  here)  who  pursues  this  plan.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  see  and  hear  him  when  I  present  any 
case  to  him:  if  it  commends  itself,  he  gives  freely, 
and  with  the  greatest  manifest  pleasure.  He  says 
'  It  is  not  giving,  only  directing  the  gift.'  He  has 
been  greatly  prospered  in  every  respect." 

From  a  pastor  in  Iowa:  "Some  years  ago  I  was  in 
business  and  in  debt,  and,  after  making  a  covenant 
with  the  Lord  (I  had  not  learned  that  God  had  al- 
ready made  a  covenant  with  me  if  I  would  come  to  it) 
to  give  him  one-tenth  of  all  my  increase,  I  gave  all 
my  affairs  into  his  hands,  asking  him  to  just  give  or 
withhold  as  would  be  most  for  his  glory.  From  that 
time  my  business  increased;  I  had  all  I  could  attend 
to,  and  all  seemed  to  turn  to  money.  In  a  short 
time  (about  two  years)  I  was  out  of  debt.  I  have 
kept  on  giving  one-tenth  of  all  I  received,   and  havp 


Ministerial  Support.  189 

never  lacked  means.  I  have  known  others  who  have 
done  this,  and  all  have  been  prospered.  It  is  not 
so  much  the  money  we  get,  but  0  the  joy  of  giving! 
There  is  no  work  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  that 
gives  more  pleasure  than  doing  duty  in  this  way." 

From  a  business  man  in  Chicago:  "My  grand- 
father followed  the  plan  you  suggest,  and  his  sons 
after  him;  coming  in  the  third  generation,  I  follow 
in  their  teachings.  I  began  about  eighteen  years 
ago,  and  while  I  have  been  steadily  prosperous,  I 
have  never  seen  the  year  when  there  was  not  appar- 
ently some  strong  reason  why  I  should  not  pay  the 
tenth  that  year.  The  habit  or  plan  has  been  the  in- 
fluence that  carried  me  through.  I  know  one  Chris- 
tian man  who  was  the  soul  of  generosity,  until  one 
year  he  overgave  largely,  and  then  balanced  by  un- 
dergoing for  two  or  three  years;  the  result,  his  gifts 
for  ten  years  or  longer  have  dwindled  to  a  mere  noth- 
ing. In  this,  as  in  other  matters,  the  good  Lord 
knows  what  we  need  to  make  character  that  will,  in 
the  long  run  and  on  the  broad  scale,  be  most  of  a 
success  in  satisfaction  to  its  possessor  and  usefulness 
to  the  world." 

From  a  pastor  in  Central  New  York:  "I  have  men 
in  my  church  who  have  acted  upon  this  principle  for 
years.  They  are  the  largest  givers,  but  not  the  rich- 
est men.  One  of  them  said  to  me  the  other  day  that 
he  was  always  surprised  to  find  how  much  he  had  to 
give,  and  giving  was  a  great  pleasure.  He  is  among 
the  prosperous  men  of  my  church,  and  no  blight  oi 
any  kind  has  ever  rested  on  his  family.  His  chil- 
dren are  prosperous  and  happy.  All  are  grown  up, 
doing  for  themselves,  and  are  an  honor  to  their  names' 


190  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Many  men  in  my  church  are  what  the  world  calls 
rich.  I  run  my  mind  over  all  the  most  prominent 
o£  them,  but  who  are  small  givers,  and  I  find  that 
ther<§  is  not  one  of  them  who  has  not  a  skeleton  in 
his  closet.  I  have  never  known  a  man  who  gave  the 
one-tenth,  or  who  gave  proportionately,  who  was  not 
blessed  with  a  competency,  if  not  great  prosper- 
ity. I  take  time  to  write  you  this  because  I  feel  if 
such  facts  as  the  above  can  be  collected  and  given 
to  the  Church,  they  must  produce  a  profound  im- 
pression." 

Note. — Many  of  the  questions  and  answers,  and 
the  testimonials  in  the  above,  were  taken  from  a 
pamphlet  published  by  a  Methodist  layman  in  Chi- 
cago. 

Application  of  the  Plans. 

No  plan,  however  good,  can  work  itself.  But  any 
one  of  the  plans  mentioned  can  be  easily  worked. 

To  illustrate:  Let  the  stewards  take  the  church- 
register,  call  every  name,  and  assess  every  one,  on 
the  quarterly,  monthly,  or  weekly  payment  plan — 
whichever  one  they  may  choose  to  work  under — then 
at  a  Church  Conference  read  out  these  assessments, 
and  get  each  member's  consent  to  the  amount. 

The  next  thing  to  be  done  is  to  apply  the  means 
of  collection.  There  are  two  ways  of  doing  this 
The  first  is  the  envelope  plan.  In  1873  the  envelope 
syst.:m  of  weekly  contributions  was  introduced  in  the 
Churches  of  New  England,  and  it  secured  the  most 
satisfactory  results.  This  system  is  working  remark- 
ably well  in  many  Churches  in .  the  South  now.  It 
is  very  simple.  Suppose  a  man  agrees  to  pay  thir- 
teen dollars  i  year  to  be  given  weekly.     Then  every 


Ministerial  Supp  rt.  191 

Sabbath  he  would  inclose  twenty-five  cents  in  an 
envelope,  and  write  on  the  back: 

For  Pastor — 25  cents. 

Date 

Name 

and  drop  it  into  the  collection-basket,  and  the  treas- 
urer finding  the  envelope  would  give  the  contributor 
credit  on  the  general  subscription-book;  and  receiv- 
ing credit  for  all  thus  given  every  Sabbath,  the 
whole  amount  could  be  easily  summed  up  at  the 
close  of  the  year. 

This  envelope  system  can  be  just  as  easily  applied 
to  the  quarterly  and  monthly  payment  plan.  A  man 
proposes,  or  is  assessed,  to  pay  eight  dollars  a  year. 
Then,  at  each  quarterly-meeting,  he  would  inclose 
two  dollars  in  an  envelope  and  send  it  to  the  steward, 
with  name,  amount,  and  date  written  on  the  back. 
The  advantages  of  this  system  are  many. 

1.  It  develops  the  habit  of  giving  unto  the  Lord 
into  a  steady,  self-acting  principle.  It  makes  giving 
a  spontaneous,  thoughtful,  cheerful  duty.  And  "the 
Lord  loveth  a  cheerful  giver,"  and  so  do  men. 

3.  It  pays  the  preacher  his  money  as  it  becomes 
due,  and  enables  him  to  meet  his  current  expenses 
without  being  embarrassed  with  debts. 

3.  It  relieves  the  stewards  of  a  vast  deal  of  un- 
pleasant work. 

4.  It  introduces  the  apostolic  principle  of  foresight 
in  giving.  "  Let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store 
as  God  hath  prospered  him."  Look  ahead,  and  get 
ready  to  pay  your  Church  dues,  is  what  he  means. 
Get  up  the  amount,  and  l<iy  it  by  in  store  against  the 
time  it  will  be  called  for      Be  thoughtful  about  thif 


]92  The  Methodist  Armor. 

matter.  Things  done  without  premeditation  are  gen- 
erally badly  done.  Have  it  all  arranged  and  ready 
beforehand,  then  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  go 
to  what  is  laid  up  for  the  Lord  and  pay  it.  A  cer- 
tain man  was  always  ready  to  pay.  Being  asked  how 
it  was  that  he  was  always  so  prompt,  he  replied:  "Do 
you  see  that  safe?  In  that  safe  is  a  secret  drawer. 
The  drawer  is  marked  'The  Lord's  Drawer.'  Into 
that  drawer,  at  the  end  of  each  week,  I  put  one-tenth 
of  all  that  I  have  made  during  the  week,  and  when 
called  upon  to  pay  to  the  cause  of  the  Lord,  I  go  to 
that  drawer  and  get  it." 

The  Work  of  the  Stewards. 

The  duties  of  the  stewards  are  numerous  and  re- 
sponsible. They  estimate  the  amount  to  be  raised; 
and  their  estimates  should  always  be  liberal  and 
generous.  Stewards  are  examples  to  the  people  as 
to  the  spirit  of  liberality.  Their  closeness  is  apt  to 
spread  the  same  spirit  among  the  people.  The  act- 
ual amount  paid  to  the  pastor  depends  almost  ex- 
clusively upon  the  energetic  and  effective  efforts  of 
the  stewards.  Those  who  rely  on  spasmodic  efforts 
fail.  Those  who  are  patient,  skillful,  and  persever- 
ing are  the  ones  that  succeed.  The  steward  should 
remember  if  he  fails  to  discharge  his  duties  the 
cause  of  God  will  inevitably  suffer.  No  other  mem- 
ber of  the  Church  feels  at  liberty  to  act  in  his  place, 
and  he  therefore  should  do  his  work  well  or  resign 
promptly.  He  should  do  his  work  heroically,  yet 
prudently.  Let  there  be  no  shrinking  back  from 
duty;  no  cowardly  apologies;  no  cold  indifference. 
Giving  is   a   means   of   grace    to    givers.      No   one, 


Ministerial  Support.  193 

therefore,  can  be  excused.  It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive.  Giving  builds  up  the  spiritual 
manhood  of  the  giver  as  well  as  pays  the  preacher. 
Non-giving  churches  perish  out.  It  is  stated  that 
fifty  years  ago  thirty  Baptist  churches  in  the  State 
of  Maryland  declared  themselves  opposed  to  giving, 
while  two  alone  stood  in  favor  of  it.  The  two 
churches  that  cultivated  the  spirit  of  giving  grew  to 
thousands,  while  the  others  dwindled  away  to  only 
eight  persons.  "He  which  soweth  sparingly  shall 
reap  also  sparingly;  and  he  which  soweth  bountifully 
shall  reap  also  bountifully." 

The  steward  will  meet  with  many  cold  repulses 
while  collecting.  The  excuses  must  be  met.  A  com- 
mon one  is,  "I  don't  like  the  preacher."  Such  per- 
sons should  be  reminded  that  the  giving  is  to  be 
unto  the  Lord,  not  to  men.  The  blessedness  of  giv- 
ing is  lost  when  the  popularity  of  the  preacher  is 
made  the  ground  of  giving,  instead  of  the  goodness 
of  the  Lord.  If  you  withhold  money  due  the  Lord, 
he  says,  "Ye  have  robbed  me."  Another  will  say, 
"  When  will  this  everlasting  begging  for  money 
cease?  I  am  sick  and  worn  out  with  it."  The  an- 
swer will  be  easy.  It  will  never  cease.  It  is  God's 
law.  While  there  remains  the  necessity  for  preach- 
ing— while  there  remains  an  unsaved  soul  on  earth 
till  the  light  of  the  gospel  shall  have  gilded  the  hills 
and  valleys  of  the  entire  globe  and  wrapped  the  blue 
seas  into  eternal  calm — there  will  be  a  necessity  for 
preaching,  and  so  a  necessity  for  paying  for  it.  Oth- 
ers will  say,  "  I  am  so  poor,  can  give  so  little,  that  it 
is  no  use  for  me  to  pay  any  thing."  The  answei 
here  is  easy  also      The  obligation   to  give  a  penny, 


194  The  Methotttsl  Armor. 

v  hen  one  has  it,  rests  upon  the  same  ground  as  that 
of  giving  a  thousand  dollars.  Thu  ground  of  obliga- 
tion is  the  same.  What  does  the  parable  of  the  tal- 
ents teach?  It  teaches  that  the  man  of  one  talent 
was  held  just  as  rigidly  responsible  as  the  man  of 
ten.  "It  is  so  little,"  said  he,  "that  I  won't  try  to 
improve  it."  But  his  lord  cast  him  into  outer  dark- 
ness for  the  failure.  Remember  how  the  Saviour 
commended  the  two  mites  of  the  poor  widow.  It  is 
the  rills  uniting  that  make  the  Nile-like  river  of  be- 
neficence. "  Hard  times  "  will  be  offered  as  an  excuse 
for  not  contributing.  But  the  undismayed  steward 
can  reply:  "Don't  begin  with  the  Church  to  cut 
down  your  expenses.  Better  spend  less  money  for 
jewelry  and  finery,  foolish  and  sinful  fashions,  and 
pay  the  Lord's  demand  in  full.  It  is  not  very  consist- 
ent for  a  Christian  to  stop  giving  to  the  Church,  and 
then  keep  up  all  other  outlays  to  the  old  standard." 

Let  the  steward  remember  the  responsibility  of  his 
position,  and  devote  his  energies  to  his  work.  Paul 
says,  "Moreover,  it  is  required  in  stewards  that  a 
man  be  found  faithful."  Be  faithful  to  the  duties  of 
your  office.  Remember  how  much  depends  on  your 
activity  and  skill.  By  all  means  let  the  stewards 
raise  the  preacher's  claims  by  quarterly  installments. 
Be  sure  to  square  the  account  at  every  quarterly- 
meeting. 

Rhwaeds  of  Giving. 

"Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the  poor:  the  Lord  will  deliver 
him  in  time  of  trouhlc.  The  Lord  will  preserve  him,  and  keep  him 
alive,  and  he  shall  he  hlessedupon  the  earth:  and  thou  wilt  not  de- 
liver him  unto  the  will  of  his  enemies. .  The  Lord  will  strengthen 
him  upon  the  hed  of  languishing:  thou  wilt  make  all  his  bed  in  his 
sickness."     (Ps.  xli.  1-3.) 


Ministerial  Support.  195 

"Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land/ 
and  verily  shalt  thou  be  fed.     (Ps.  xxxvii.  3.) 

"Honor  the  Lord  with  thy  substance,  and  with  the  first-fruits  of 
all  thine  increase:  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plenty,  and  thy 
presses  shall  burst  out  with  new  wine."     (Prov.  iii.  9,  10.) 

"There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth;  and  there  is  tbat 
withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty.  The  lib- 
eral soul  shall  be  made  fat;  and  he  that  watereth  shall  be  watered 
also  himself."     (Prov.  xi.  24,  25.) 

"And  if  thou  draw  out  thy  soul  to  the  hungry,  and  satisfy  the 
afflicted  soul ;  then  shall  thy  light  rise  in  obscurity,  and  thy  dark- 
ness be  as  the  noonday;  and  the  Lord  shall  guide  thee  continually, 
and  satisfy  thy  soul  in  drought,  and  make  fat  thy  bones;  and  thou 
shalt  be  like  a  watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring  of  water,  whose  wa- 
ters fail  not."     (Isa.  lviii.  10,  11.) 

"  Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  store-house,  that  there  may  be 
meat  in  mine  house,  and  prove  me  now  herewith,  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  if  I  will  not  open  you  the  windows  of  heaven,  and  pour  you 
out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive  it. 
And  I  will  rebuke  the  devourer  for  your  sakes,  and  he  shall  not  de- 
stroy the  fruits  of  your  ground;  neither  shall  your  vine  cast  her 
fruit  before  the  time  in  the  field,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  (Mai. 
iii.  10,  11.) 

"Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you;  good  measure,  pressed 
down,  and  shaken  together,  and  running  over,  shall  men  give  into 
your  bosom.  For  with  the  same  measure  that  ye  mete  withal  it 
shall  be  measured  to  you  again."     (Luke  vi.  38.) 

"I  have  showed  you  all  things,  how  that  so  laboring  ye  ought  to 
support  the  weak,  and  to  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how 
he  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."     (Acts  xx.  35.) 

"Every  man  according  as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart,  so  let  him 
give;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity:  for  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver. 
And  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  [the  word  "grace"  here  refers  to 
temporal  blessings]  abound  toward  you;  that  ye,  always  having  all 
sufficiency  in  all  thi-gs,  may  abound  to  every  good  work."  (2  Cor. 
ix.  7,  8.) 

These  promises  are  conditional.  We  have  no  righi 
to  claim  them  except  we  comply  with  the  conditions.     If 


196  The  Methodist  Armor. 

wo  meet  them,  we  shall  realize  true  prosperity  both  in 
spiritual  and  temporal  interests.  The  conditions  and 
promises  go  together. 

If  you  decide  to  adopt  Christian  paying  as  the  rule 
of  your  life,  the  "pledges"  sent  herewith  may  be 
found  useful.     "Prove  the  Lord  now  herewith." 

Suggestions. 

Giving,  or  paying  —  for  that  is  the  better  word  — 
should  not  be  spasmodic  or  impulsive;  it  should  be 
from  principle.  We  should  know  how  much  we  re- 
ceive and  how  much  we  give,  and  our  gifts  or  pay- 
ments should  always  have  a  certain  definite  proportion 
to  our  income. 

While  we  may  speak  of  giving,  the  thought  in  the 
heart  should  be  that  of  payment.  Giving,  properly 
speaking,  commences  when  the  tenth  has  been  paid. 

Proportionate  giving  makes  our  Heavenly  Father 
a  partner  in  all  our  business  tranactions,  and  he  will 
most  surely  bless  a  business  or  occupation  in  which 
he  is  recognized  as  a  partner.  By  paying  the  one- 
tenth  we  become  partners  in  his  work,  and  transmute 
some  portion  of  our  little  treasure  into  an  imperish- 
able possession,  and  we  shall  find  it  again — treasure 
laid  up  in  heaven.  There  may  be  instances  in  which 
men,  with  mistaken  motives,  may  give  too  much  for 
their  temporal  prosperity,  but  such  men  are  never 
proportionate  givers. 

Under  the  impulse  of  excited  feeling  men  sometimes 
give  too  much  to  one  object,  and  the  effect  is  to  render 
them  unable  or  unwilling  to  consider  objects  equally 
worthy.  Such  giving  is  not  liberal;  it  is  in  fact  illib- 
eral, just  as  a  man  would  be  illiberal  who  should  will 


Ministerial  Support.  ]97 

r]1  his  property  to  one  child,  cutting  off  brothers  and 
sisters  equally  worthy. 

God  loves  and  will  bless  a  cheerful  giver — one  who 
sets  apart  a  proportion  of  his  income  as  a  debt  to  be 
paid  back  to  the  great  Giver,  and  who  is  watchful  to 
bestow  it  where  it  will  do  the  greatest  good.  If  some 
one  should  intrUst  a  sum  of  money  to  you,  to  be  be- 
stowed as  you  thought  best,  leaving  the  choice  of  ob- 
jects to  you,  you  would  of  course  give  the  matter 
thought,  and  use  your  best  judgment  in  the  selection. 
So  it  should  be  in  all  our  gifts,  for  while  they  may  be 
gifts  to  those  who  receive  them,  they  are  payments  to 
God;  and  his.  blessing  follows  the  cheerful  giving  of 
what  is  due  to  him  to  the  most  worthy  objects,  not 
forgetting  that  even  in  our  giving  we  may  be  selfish, 
and  remembering  that  to  be  liberal  we  must  not  con- 
fine our  gifts  to  our  own  church  or  neighborhood. 

Proportionate  giving  unites  religion  and  business. 
Those  who  adopt  it  as  a  rule  of  life  struggle  to  make 
more  money  that  they  may  have  a  larger  percentage 
of  income  for  the  Master's  cause.  They  are  also 
saved  that  absorbing  spirit  of  worldliness  that  makes 
shipwreck  of  many  a  promising  Christian  manhood. 

We  want  to  give  while  we  Ike,  with  warm  hands 
from  loving  hearts.  There  is  no  pleasure  in  giving 
with  a  dead  man's  hand;  and  the  miser  who  .on  his 
death-bed  gives  largely  to  benevolence  goes  still  a 
miser  into  the  presence  of  his  Judge.  We  want  to 
dispense  our  charities  from  day  to  day,  in  small  sums 
if  need  be,  not  waiting  for  large  ones,  and  making  our 
lives,  like  that  of  our  Saviour,  a  constant  benediction. 

God's  plan  is  that  of  constant  but  limited  supply, 
and  the  great  need  of  the  Church  and  the  world  is 


108  The  Methodist  Armor. 

that  Christians  should  give  constantly,  regularly,  and 
proportionately  as  God  prospers  them.  Let  us  give 
as  an  act  of  worship,  as  a  blessed  privilege;  give  not 
to  receive  the  approbation  of  man,  but  the  reward  God 
gives;  give  increasingly  as  God  prospers  with  increas- 
ing wealth,  with  thanks  to  our  Heavenly  Father  that 
he  enables  us  to  give,  and  for  the  happiness  we  there- 
by receive  as  well  as  that  we  confer  on  others. 

There  is  no  argument  for  the  genuineness  of  Chris- 
tianity that  men  so  universally  respect  as  a  Christian 
giving.  They  care  little  for  large  or  impulsive  giv- 
ing, as  they  know  that  enthusiasm  or  over-persuasion 
may  have  had  the  controlling  influence,  but  they  can- 
not withstand  the  argument  of  a  charity  which  is 
ceaseless  in  its  flow,  and  is  constantly  on  the  watch 
for  right  objects  for  its  bestowal. 

The  all-important  thought  on  this  subject  is  that  of 
proportionate  giving,  or  paying.  Paul  says  to  the  Co- 
rinthians: "Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every 
one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store  as  God  hath  prospered 
him."  The  plain  inferences  are,  first,  regularity—"  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week;"  and,  secondly,  a  certain 
proportionate,  definite  share — "  as  God  hath  prospered 
him."  Notice,  first,  that  this  is  not  an  exhortation, 
but  a  command,  or  order.  He  does  not  say,  "Get  ready, 
and  when  I  come  I  will  preach  you  a  sermon  on  char- 
ity, and  while  under  the  influence  of  the  preaching, 
and  while  your  hearts  are  warm  with  love  and  sym- 
pathy for  the  poor  brethren  at  Jerusalem,  we  will  take 
up  a  large  collection ; "  but  he  says,  "  Have  every  thing 
in  readiness,  that  there  be  no  gathering  when  I  come." 
Also  notice  that  this  order  is  not  addressed  to  a  few, 
or  to  the  rich,  but  to  "every  one  of  you;  "  and  again, 


Ch  in  ch-membersh  ip.  199 

that  the  Epistle  is  directed  not  to  the  Christians  at 
Corinth  alone,  but  also  to  "  all  in  every  place  that  call 
upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

CIIUEC II- MEMBERSHIP. 

I.  Who  are  Admitted  Into  the  Methodist 

Church? 

Adults  who  have  been  converted.  Such  persons  of 
course  who  have  realized  a  change  of  heart,  who  have 
felt  that  their  sins  have  been  pardoned,  their  hearts 
regenerated,  and  experienced  the  fact  that  "  the  love 
of  God  has  been  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  given  unto  them,"  are  admitted  into  our 
Church.  It  has  ever  been  characteristic  of  Method- 
ism to  insist  on  experimental  religion.  The  early 
Methodists  preached  experience,  told  their  own  expe- 
rience ;  and  this  living  experience  constitutes  the  very 
salt  of  Methodism,  and  keeps  it  from  taint  and  mold. 
This  experience  gives  it  a  vital  spirit.  "Life  and 
power  "  is  a  familiar  note  among  our  people. 

Methodism  is  a  free  spirit.  "Liberty"  is  its  watch- 
word— liberty  from  sin,  from  bondage,  body  and  soul ; 
liberty  to  pray  loud  or  low,  to  speak,  to  use  all  the 
gifts  bestowed,  whether  one  talent  or  ten,  whether 
among  men  or  women;  liberty  for  all,  learned  or  un- 
learned, rich  or  poor,  young  converts  or  old  ones;  lib- 
erty to  sing,  whether  by  note  or  by  rote,  with  the  spirit 
and  with  the  understanding,  to  sing  in  the  choir  or  in 
the  congregation — liberty  for  all  to  sing,  not  one  in 
ten  only. 

It  is  a  simple  spirit.    Simplicity  is  characteristic  of  it; 


200  The  Methodist  Armor. 

no  affectation,  no  pompous,  mechanical,  and  strained 
dignity. 

It  is  an  earnest  spirit.  Dr.  Chalmers  said,  "Meth- 
odism is  Christianity  in  earnest." 

It  is  a  liberal  spirit.  Universal  redemption  for  its 
theme,  "the  world  for  its  parish,"  "perfect  love"  to 
God  and  man  its  animus,  it  cannot  be  otherwise  than 
liberal  and  catholic.  It  has  often  been  repelled,  but 
it  repels  none  who  "  truly  and  earnestly  repent."  It 
receives  as  candidates  even  those  who  evince  "  a  desire 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  be  saved  from 
their  sins."  It  Avelcomes  to  communion  all  the  mem- 
bers of  Christ's  body. 

It  is  a  fraternal  spirit.  Both  the  life  and  forms  of 
Methodism  lead  directly  to  strong  fraternization.  Love 
is  its  life,  and  the  mutual  freedom  and  equality  in 
Jesus  Christ  which  characterize  all  its  social  meetings 
and  religious  forms  tend  to  centralize  the  sympathy 
and  feelings  of  the  whole  community.  And  it  is  from 
this,  in  part,  that  the  power  of  Methodism  as  a  system 
arises.    Unity  is  power;  lif  e  is  power.    They  sing  truly, 

Our  fears,  our  hopes,  our  aims  are  one, 
Our  comforts  and  our  cares. 

We  share  our  mutual  woes, 

Our  mutual  burdens  bear; 
And  often  for  each  other  flows 

The  sympathizing  tear. 

The  class-meeting  and  the  love-feast  contribute  much 
to  foster  this  fraternal  spirit.  "The  rich  and  the 
poor  meet  together;  the  Lord  is  the  maker  of  them 
all."  Hence  the  cordial  greeting,  the  familiar  "broth- 
er "  and  "  sister  " — "  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,"  not  how- 
ever, to  the  exclusion  of  "other  sheep  which  are  not 


Ch  urch-membersh  ip.  201 

of  this  fold."  Free  communion  with  all  the  body  of 
Christ  is  the  token  of  its  catholicity. 

It  is  a  happy  spirit.     Methodists  believe  in  getting 
happy  in  religion.     "  Rejoice  evermore,  pray  without 
ceasing,  in  every  thing  give  thanks,"  is  one  of  its  favor 
ite  proof -texts.     Here  is  one  of  its  notes  of  triumph : 

How  happy  is  the  pilgrim's  lot ! 
How  free  from  every  anxious  thought, 
From  worldly  hope  and  fear! 

This  happiness  in  part  is  mine, 

Already  saved  from  low  design, 

From  every  creature  love! 

Take  another  excellent  specimen  strain: 

While  the  angel  choirs  are  crying, 

Glory  to  the  great  I  AM ! 
I  with  them  Avill  still  be  vying, 

Glory  !  glory  to  the  Lamb  ! 
O  how  precious 

Is  the  sound  of  Jesus'  name! 

Hence  "shouting"  is  but  the  legitimate  expression 
of  the  happiness  within ;  at  least  it  is  a  legitimate  off- 
spring. It  is  not  to  be  manufactured,  and  under  some 
circumstances  should  not  be  suppressed  if  the  soul 
would  enjoy  its  freedom. 

Now,  who  that  has  seen  Methodism  on  its  own  feet, 
and  in  its  own  native  attire,  and  "dwelling  under  its  own 
vine  and  fig-tree,"  does  not  know  that  these  are  charac- 
teristics of  its  spirit,  its  genius  ?  How  strange,  then, 
that  Methodists  themselves  should  ever  be  ashamed 
of  their  characteristics !  How  strange  that  they  should 
seek  to  accommodate  it  to  the  fastidiousness  of  other 
denominations,  or  to  the  proud  conceits  of  the  world  I 
They  may  do  it,  but  it  will  be  at  the  expense  of  its 


202  The  Methodist  Armor. 

power  and  true  glory.  One  fact  is  remarkable  and 
significant.  Generally  when  any  special  revival  inter- 
est appears  among  other  denominations  they  are  found 
to  have  adopted  more  or  less  of  our  peculiarities — our 
hymns  and  tunes,  our  free-salvation  preaching,  our 
altar  labor  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  our  free  so- 
cial exercises;  so  much  so  that  the  remark  is  common 
even  among  the  world  and  others,  "  Why,  they  preach 
and  pray,  etc.,  just  like  the  Methodists."  Amen!  let 
them  do  so.  But,  then,  mark  two  or  three  things :  1. 
This  remark  recognizes  Methodism  as  the  standard  in 
these  things,  and  that  is  no  small  compliment.  2.  It 
shows  that  other  denominations  recognize  these  pe- 
culiarities as  the  secret  of  success,  so  far  as  means 
are  concerned.  3.  It  rebukes  the  folly  of  Methodists 
in  ignoring,  or  discountenancing,  or  neglecting  these 
characteristics. 

This  spirit  of  Methodism  appeals  strongly  to  the 
moral  sensibilities  of  mankind,  to  their  felt  necessi- 
ties, and  even  to  the  spiritual  among  other  denomina- 
tions. In  trying  to  improve  Methodism,  let  us  not 
lose  sight  of  its  genius,  its  spirit,  remembering  that 
the  Church  is  to  be  "  a  habitation  of  God  through  the 
Spirit,"  and  is  to  be  conformed  in  its  spirit  and  wor- 
ship to  the  "pattern  seen  in  the  mount." 

II.  Penitent  Seekees. 

The  Methodist  Church,  besides  opening  her  doors 
to  adult  converts,  takes  in  also  penitent  seekers.  The 
condition  for  the  admission  of  such  persons  is  this: 
"  There  is  only  one  condition  previously  required  of  those 
who  desire  admission  into  these  societies,  a  'desire  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  be  saved  from  their  sins.'  " 
/ 


Church-membership.  203 

This  condition  implies  a  willingness  to  be  saved.  This 
willingness  to  be  saved  implies  also  a  readiness  to  be 
all  and  to  do  all  that  the  gospel  requires  of  those  who 
become  partakers  of  salvation — a  willingness  to  ac- 
cept of  salvation  "  from  sin."  To  be  willing  to  accept 
of  salvation,  therefore,  implies  a  desire  to  be  deliv- 
ered from  the  dominion  of  sin.  It  implies  such  re- 
pentance as  hates  sin  and  desires  purity  of  heart,  and 
a  fixedness  of  purpose  to  use  the  means  of  grace  pre- 
scribed by  the  Church  in  order  to  attain  actual  salva- 
tion. Hence,  such  persons  coming  into  our  Church 
pledge  themselves  (1)  to  abstain  from  all  evil;  (2)  to 
do  good  of  every  kind;  (3)  to  attend  upon  all  the  ordi- 
nances of  God.  This  "desire  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come,  and  to  be  saved  from  their  sins,"  is  a  deep,  mov- 
ing, stirring  desire  "fixed  in  the  soul."  It  is  not  a 
feeble,  transient  desire,  but  such  a  desire  as  brings 
forth  fruit  meet  for  repentance  —  a  desire  ripening 
into  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
Repentance  implies  preexisting  faith,  and  faith  implies 
preexisting  repentance.  Both  are  produced  by  the  pre- 
liminary grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  be  perfected  by 
the  willingness  of  man  using  the  means  of  salvation. 
Now,  when  such  persons  come  to  us  desiring  to  be 
saved,  we  admit  them  into  the  Church,  where  complete 
salvation  may  be  attained.  Much  has  been  said  by 
way  of  objection  to  the  Methodist  Church  for  admit- 
ting such  penitent  seekers  of  religion;  but  we  think 
our  practice  is  in  harmony  with  scriptural  teaching. 
We  think  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  safe  rule  that  the 
man  icfto  is  authorized  to  claim  the  gracious  promises 
of  God  is  a  fit  person  to  join  the  Church.  To  the  sin- 
cere penitent,  desirous  "to  flee  from   the  wrath  to 


204  The  Methodist  Armor. 

come,  and  to  be  saved  from  sin,"  the  promises  of  sav- 
ing grace  are  offered. 

Proofs. — "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken 
heart,  and  saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  (Ps.  xxxiv.  18.) 
'"The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit :  a  broken  and  a  contrite 
heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  (Ps.  li.  17.)  "Thus  saith  the 
high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy:  I 
dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite 
and  humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive 
the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  (Isa.  lvii.  15.)  "I  will  turn  their 
mourning  into  joy;  I  will  comfort  them,  and  make  them  rejoice  from 
their  sorrow."  ( Jer.  xxxi.  13.)  "Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  to  say, 
Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand."  (Matt.  iv.  17.) 
"  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins."  (Acts  ii.  38.)  The  men  of  Nine- 
veh were  saved,  "  because  they  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonah." 

Notes. 
1.  A  purpose  to  be  a  Christian,  a  state  of  peni- 
tence, a  desire  to  be  delivered  from  sin,  were  clearly 
the  terms  of  admission  to  the  Christian  Church,  at 
the  very  commencement  of  it.  This  will  appear 
from  the  following: 

"From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  to  say,  Repent;  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  And  Jesus,  walking  by  the  sea 
of  Galilee,  saw  two  brethren,  Simon  called  Peter,  and  Andrew  his 
brother,  casting  a  net  into  the  sea;  for  they  were  fishers.  And  lie 
saith  unto  them,  Follow  me,  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men. 
And  they  straightway  left  their  nets,  and  followed  him.  And  going 
on  from  thence,  he  saw  other  two  brethren,  James  the  son  of  Zeb- 
eilee,  and  John  his  brother,  in  a  ship  with  Zebedee  their  father, 
mending  their  nets;  and  he  called  them.  And  they  immediately 
left  the  ship,  and  their  father,  and  followed  him."  (Matt.  iv. 
17-22.) 

Notice. — Peter,  Andrew,  James,  and  John  were  en- 
gaged, when  Christ  found  them,  in  their  daily  toil. 
Christ  commanded  them  to  follow  him.     The  com- 


Church-membership.  205 

mand  was  very  simple.  The  thing  to  be  done  was 
not  mysterious,  and  there  was  no  difficulty,  in  obey- 
ing it.  The  thing  was  practicable.  It  lay  in  the 
scope  of  their  ability  to  forsake  their  calling  and 
follow  him.  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and 
they  united  themselves  to  him.  There  is  no  profes- 
sion of  regeneration  preceding  their  joining  them- 
selves to  Christ.  There  is  no  relating  of  their  ex- 
perience. There  is  no  demand  made  by  Christ  re- 
quiring them  to  be  converted  before  they  become  his 
disciples.  So  far  as  we  can  see,  there  was  only  a  de- 
sire to  be  saved,  and  "  they  immediately  left  the  ship, 
and  their  father,  and  followed  him,"  in  order  to  be 
saved. 

Again,  Christ,  in  his  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  says, 
"Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  God."  To  feel  poor  in  spirit  is  to  feel 
humble,  penitent,  empty  of  all  good.  Just  such  per- 
sons as  our  General  Rule  describes.  Such  persons 
are  blessed  because  "theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  "God." 
"The  kingdom  of  God"  here  means  either  the  Church 
on  earth,  or  the  Church  triumphant  in  heaven,  or  the 
kingdom  of  grace  in  the  soul.  But  if  the  penitent 
has  the  kingdom  of  grace  in  his  soul,  then  he  is  a 
fit  and  suitable  person  to  become  a  member  of  the 
visible  Church.  Such  persons  were  admitted  into 
the  primitive  Church.  Justin  Martyr  says  of  such 
that  "when  they  had  given  good  proofs  of  their  res- 
olutions to  lead  a  pious,  religious  life,  and  had  pro- 
tested their  assent  and  consent  to  all  the  Christian 
verities,  they  were  baptized,"  and  of  course  admitted 
into  the  Church. 

That  true  penitents  may  be  baptized  and  admitted 


206  The  Methodist  Armor. 

into  the  Church  is  scriptural  is  clear  from  the  fol- 
lowing: "Then  Peter  said  unto  them,  Repent,  and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  [unto]  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall 
receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Acts  ii.  38.) 
Here  we  see  that  repentance  and  baptism  plainly 
preceded  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  regener- 
ates the  soul.  These  penitents  were  baptized  and 
added  to  the  company  of  Christians.  It  must  be 
clear  to  all  impartial  minds  that  the  Methodist  prac- 
tice of  receiving  penitent  seekers  into  the  bosom  of 
the  Church,  rests  upon  broad  scriptural  grounds. 

When  Christ  called  men  to  be  his  disciples,  he  did 
not  seek  perfect  men.  He  says,  "  Come  and  join  my 
school;  be  my  scholar."  The  Church  is  a  spiritual 
school.  But  is  a  man  to  be  kept  out  of  school  be- 
cause he  is  ignorant?  Schools  are  opened  for  illit- 
erate people,  not  for  ripe  scholars.  If  a  man  desires 
to  be  a  soldier,  he  joins  the  army;  and  as  soon  as 
he  joins  the  army  he  is  a  soldier,  though  he  is  far 
from  being  a  trained  veteran.  He  is  a  soldier  just 
as  really  when  his  name  goes  down  on  the  roll,  and 
he  goes  out  with  awkwardness  to  be  drilled,  as  after 
he  has  been  in  the  army  ten  years.  Therefore,  when 
we  find  men  having  a  spark  of  grace  in  their  souls, 
we  encourage  then  to  join  the  Church,  where  the 
spark  can  be  kindled  to  such  a  flame  of  love  as  il- 
lumines and  warms  the  whole  man.  They  have 
germs  which,  being  planted  in*  the  garden  of  the 
Lord,  may  become  fruitful  trees. 

Bishop  Marvin  says:  "God  has  ordained  in  the 
Church  many  efficient  aids,  and  many  means  of 
grace,  through  which  the   earnest  penitent  and  more 


Cliiii  tfh-memberskip.  207 

advanced  believer  are  alike  strengthened  and  helped 
forward  in  the  Christian  race.  The  fellowship  of 
saints  and  the  ordinances  of  religion  qnicken  the 
spiritual  perception  and  sensibility,  and  encourage 
and  strengthen  faith.  The  mere  fact  of  member- 
'ship  in  the  Church  exerts  a  most  wholesome  effect 
on  the  mind  and  heart."  In  one  sense  the  Church 
is  a  spiritual  hospital,  where  sick  and  wounded  pen- 
itents may  be  carried  for  the  purpose  of  having  nurs- 
ing and  healing  influences  administered  to  them  by 
the  members  of  the  Church.  Who  does  not  see  that 
it  is  infinitely  easier  to  work  out  the  salvation  of  the 
soul  in  the  Church  than  out  of  it. 

Let  it  be  understood  once  for  all  that  we  do  not 
open  our  Church  to  sinners,  to  impenitent  men,  nor 
merely  to  well-wishers  to  religion,  nor  to  men  who 
are  moralists,  but  to  penitent  seekers  of  religion. 

We  ask  them  to  come  in,  no  matter  how  infirm 
they  may  be,  and  no  matter  how  small  their  religious 
experience  may  have  been.  Babes  in  Christ,  they  need 
nourishing;  and  here  is  the  motherhood  into  which 
they  may  come.  I  have  seen  a  great  many  persons 
come  in  with  flash  and  flame  who  went  out  ashes; 
and  I»have  seen  a  great  many  persons  come  in  like 
the  little  germ  of  a  plant  that  just  breaks  the  ground, 
without  leaf  or  apparent  power  to  live,  and  they  havo 
grown  until  the  birds  of  the  air  lodged  in  their 
branches.  We  do  not  ask  persons  to  come  in  with 
grandeur  of  attainments,  but  if  there  are  any  babes, 
according  to  the  understanding  of  Christ,  who  said, 
"  Except  ye  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  we  ask  them  to 
come  in.     If  there  are  any  who  long  to  be  better,  whr 


SJ08  The  Methodist  Armor. 

are  determined  by  the  help  of  God  to  transform  their 
lives,  and  who  are  willing  to  be  helped,  to  be  loved, 
to  be  borne  with,  to  be  instructed,  and  to  be  put  for- 
ward in  the  Christian  life,  it  is  our  office  to  take  them 
in.  We  are  nurses  of  just  such  children.  We  are 
school-masters  of  just  such  scholars.  They,  by  and 
by,  will  be  able  to  render  unto  others  that  very  serv- 
ice which  they  have  had  bestowed  upon  them;  and 
so  the  work  will  go  on.  We  do  not  ask  them  to 
come  in  because  they  have  got  through  a  supernat- 
ural experience,  however  high*  or  low.  We  want 
them  provided  the  work  of  grace  is  begun  in  them. 
We  ask  them  to  come  in  on  the  same  ground  that 
we  ask  tender  plants  to  step  in  under  glass  in  March 
when  frost  is  in  the  air.  They  cannot  afford  to  stay 
out,  they  are  so  tender  and  so  poor. 

2.  Growth  in  Grace. — While  the  Church  admits  pen- 
itent seekers,  she  at  the  same  time  urges  them  never 
to  stop  seeking  until  they  feel  their  sins  pardoned 
and  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  their  heart. 
Then  she  sets  a  very  high  standard  of  Christian 
character  before  them,  to  be  attained  by  growth  in 
grace.  To  begin  well  is  only  a  starting-poirft  to  gc 
on  to  perfection.  To  join  the  Church  is  only  %  step- 
ping-stone to  reach  the  full  assurance  of  salvation. 
We  are  exhorted  to  go  on  to  a  state  of;  entire  sancti- 
fication.  As  the  sun,  emerging  from  the  horizon  of 
the  east,  rises  upward  to  his  noontide  splendor,  so 
the  path  of  the  just  is  to  shine  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day.  As  the  river  flows  on  and  on  to  the 
expanse  of  the  great  ocean,  so  the  stream  of  repent- 
ance flows  on  and  on  until  it  swells  out  into  the  full 
river  of  sanctincation.     That  mustard-seed  of  spirit- 


Church-membership.  200 

ual  life  is  to  grow  up  into  a  lofty  tree,  among  whose 
branches  the  birds  of  joy  are  to  sing.  That  spiritual 
babe  must  grow  up  into  a  full  stature  of  Christian 
manhood. 

3.  The  Means  of  Grace. — Remember  that  there  are 
means  instituted  by  God  which  we  are  to  observe 
that  we  may  grow  in  grace.  So  far  as  we  know,  God 
always  works  through  instruments  in  producing  re- 
sults. This  is  the  case  in  nature.  The  beautiful 
heavens  and  the  fruitful  earth  are  made,  but  they 
are  made  by  the  word  of  his  power.  God  enlightens 
and  warms  the  world,  but  it  is  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  He  imbues 
the  soil  with  the  productive  principle — sends  clouds 
to  pour  down  rain,  provides  the  seeds,  light,  and  heat; 
but  there  God  leaves  the  matter.  Man  can  plow  the 
fields,  and  accordingly  God  leaves* him  to  do  so,  or 
he  will  have  no  food  to  sustain  him.  Man  can  sow 
and  cultivate,  and  God  leaves  him  to  do  so;  other- 
wise he  will  reap  no  golden  harvests  to  fill  his  barns. 
It  is  the  same  in  grace.  God  has  established  a  sys- 
tem of  saving  grace  for  the  benefit  of  man.  The  Bi- 
ble, the  Sabbath,  prayer,  the  preaching  of  the  ever- 
lasting gospel,  songs,  faith,  the  communion  of  the 
saints — through  these  he  conveys  saving  grace,  as 
he  does  light  and  heat  through  the  sun,  and  rain 
through  the  clouds.  But  upon  whom?  Not  upon 
the  careless  and  the  disobedient,  but  upon  those  who 
regularly  and  prayerfully  wait  upon  him  in  the  faith- 
ful use  of  these  means.  "  Work  out  your  own  salva- 
tion," is  the  great  command. 

It  is  well  to  begin  a  religious  life,  but  something 
more  than  beginning  is  necessary  to  secure  salvation 
14 


210  The  Method  id  Armor. 

After  a  man  lias  laid  a  good  foundation,  he  mus^  go 
on  to  rear  up  and  finish  the  superstructure  of  his 
house.  After  a  man  has  planted  his  crop,  he  must 
go  on  to  cultivate  in  order  to  insure  a  matured  crop. 
Ripeness  of  piety  comes  slowly  as  sweetness  is 
wrought  into  the  green  fruit.  It  does  not  blossom 
suddenly  into  life.  It  is  not  a  garment  woven  in 
heaven  and  dropped  upon  the  shoulders  of  a  be- 
liever. God  clothes  us  with  his  own  righteousness 
as  he  clothes  trees  with  verdure,  by  a  process  of 
growth  from  within.  It  begins  within  and  works  out 
into  the  beauty  of  holiness.  The  desire  begins  with- 
in and  goes  out  into  holy  living.  "Blessed  are  they 
which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  for 
they  shall  be  filled." 

The  figure  of  "hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness" indicates  an  indescribable  longing  for  it — one 
that  cannot  be  denied.  You  shall  have  this  right- 
eousness, says  the  Scripture,  when  you  search  for  it 
as  for  hid  treasure.  The  silver  is  dug  out  of  the 
hills  by  pick  and  gunpowder.  It  is  put  under  the 
hammer  and  beaten  into  fine  dust;  it  is  put  into  one 
furnace  and  melted;  into  a  second  furnace  and  melted 
again;  into  a  third  furnace  and  melted  again;  and  so 
through  five  or  six  refinings,  before  it  is  ready  foi 
the  mint  or  jeweler.  Dreaming  of  godliness  will  no 
more  give  you  godliness  than  dreaming  of  knowledge 
will  give  you  knowledge.  It  is  given  only  to  him 
who  says:  "I  will  work  for  it  with  a  pick,  and  if  I 
cannot  get  it  with  a  pick,  I  will  use  gunpowder;  and 
when  it  is  once  got  in  the  crude  state,  I  will  nol 
be  content  with  that.  If  God  puts  me  in  the  fur- 
nace once,  twice,  thrice,  I  will  rejoice.     I  will  not  bf 


Ch  urch-metnbersh  ip.  211 

content  until  lie  has  burned  me,  and  burned  me  until 
the  dross  is  all  consumed,  so  that  I  may  be  ready  to 
be  his  coin  on  earth  and  his  crown  in  heaven."  Did 
Abraham  find  the  road  to  godliness  an  easy  one, 
when  he  turned  his  back  upon  home,  and  friends, 
and  country,  and  worship,  and  went  out  to  be  the 
first  emigrant  to  a  strange  land — not  to  seek  more 
wages  or  better  earthly  conditions,  but  that  he  might 
find  liberty  to  serve  God  according  to  his  own  con 
science?  Did  Moses  find  it  easy,  driven  into  the 
wilderness,  and  repressing  the  powers  that  seemed  to 
be  calling  him  to  greater  work,  to  be  forty  years  a 
herdsman  of  cattle,  and  for  forty  years  a  herdsman 
of  imbruted  slaves?  Did  David  find  it  easy,  fleeing 
from  cave  to  cave  before  the  huntsmen  of  Saul?  Did 
Paul  find  it  easy,  thrice  beaten  with  rods,  five  times 
receiving  forty  stripes  save  one,  shipwrecked,  stoned, 
in  perils  oft  on  sea  and  land?  Read  the  autobio- 
graphical reminiscences  of  Paul  in  Corinthians;  see 
how  he  was  put  under  the  hammer  and  beaten  out,  and 
then  cast  into  the  furnace  again  and  again,  that  so 
he  might  receive  God's  answer  to  his  perpetual 
prayer:  "Nearer,  my  God,  to  thee;  nearer  to  thee!  " 

III.  The  Introduction  of  Baptized  Children 
into  the  Church. 

The  Discipline  says:  1.  "  Let  the  minister  diligently 
instruct  and  exhort  all  parents  to  dedicate  their  chil- 
dren to  the  Lord  in  baptism  as  early  as  convenient. 
2.  Let  him  pay  special  attention  to  the  children,  speak 
to  them  personally  and  kindly  on  experimental  and 
practical  godliness.  3.  As  soon  as  they  comprehend 
tliA  responsibilities  involved  in  a  public  profession  of 


212  The  Methodist  Armor. 

faith  in  Christ,  and  give  evidence  of  a  sincere  and 
earnest  determination  to  discharge  the  same,  see  that 
they  be  duly  recognized  as  members  of  the  Church  agreea- 
bly to  the  provisions  of  the  Discipline." 

Here  we  see  that  baptized  children,  coming  to  the 
years  of  accountability  and  giving  "  evidence  of  a  sin- 
cere and  earnest  determination  "  to  live  as  Christians, 
should  be  taken  into  the  Church.  To  admit  them 
into  the  Church  is  a  disciplinary  duty  laid  upon  every 
Methodist  pastor — a  duty  as  clearly  denned  as  that  of 
taking  in  believing  adults.  And  yet  how  generally 
this  duty  is  neglected!  How  few  are  in  the  Church! 
Thousands  of  Methodist  children  duly  baptized  are 
left  to  grow  up  in  ignorance  and  wander  off  into  for- 
bidden paths.  They  are  as  fully  out  of  the  Church 
as  those  unbaptized.  They  grow  up  in  open  non-mem- 
bership, and  are  regarded  as  outside  sinners.  Who  are 
to  blame  for  this?  Generally,  parents  and  pastors. 
Is  not  something  wrong  among  us  as  to  this  matter? 

"  Churches,  parents,  and  teachers  are  to  bring  up 
the  children  under  their  care  in  the  nurture  and  ad- 
monition of  the  Lord;"  but  to  a  very  large  extent 
Christians  have  brought  up  their  children  in  the  hope 
that  when  they  shall  have  arrived  at  years  of  discre- 
tion (which  are  usually  supposed  to  be  somewhere  from 
fifteen  to  twenty-one  years  of  age)  they  will  then 
themselves  become  Christians.  I  hold  that  it  is  pos- 
sible so  to  rear  our  children  that  they  shall  be  con- 
verted from  the  cradle,  and  grow  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord — some  without'  a  break, 
and  some  subject  to  these  normal  disturbances  which 
come  from  physical  causes  in  the  readjustment  of  the 
system   at  its  maturity.      If   Christian  parents  and 


Church-membership.  213 

Christian  teachers  were  consistent,  and  were  in  the 
true  faith  of  Christ  Jesus,  I  believe  that  generations 
of  children  might  be  brought  up  who  never  would 
know  the  point  at  which  the  transition  was  made 
They  would  be  taught  to  love  Christ,  and  to  adopt  the 
great  Christian  element  of  character — love — and,  by 
it,  to  cast  out  evil,  to  build,  and  to  acquire  habits  and 
experiences,  so  that  when  they  came  to  man's  estate 
it  would  not  be  through  all  the  tanglements,  beset- 
ments,  and  soilings  of  an  ordinary  earthly  experience. 
They  would  come  honorable,  truthful,  loving,  full  of 
faith,  full  of  hope,  full  of  purity,  from  the  cradle  to 
the  Church.  And  I  do  not  simply  believe  this  to  be 
possible  in  rare  cases.  I  do  not  believe  there  will  ever 
be  a  day  of  millennium  till  it  is  done.  I  do  not  be- 
lieve there  will  ever  be  a  prevalence  of  Christianity, 
until,  instead  of  trying  to  fish  for  the  few  adults  that 
can  be  brouglij;  from  evil  into  good,  we  learn  to  take 
life  at  its  beginning,  and  to  train  generations  from  the 
first  to  true  manhood,  passing  through  infancy  and 
youth  into  the  full  development  of  Christian  life. 

Persons,  we  all  know,  are  more  susceptible  at  the 
early  age  than  at  any  other.  Children  are  not  supe- 
rior to  men  in  knowledge,  nor  in  strength,  nor  in  dis- 
crimination. There  are  a  thousand  of  the  acquirb 
ments  by  which  a  man  battles  with  the  world  that 
they  are  not  superior  in.  But  there  is  one  all-impor- 
tant principle  Avhich  belongs  to  childhood,  and  not  to 
any  other  time,  viz.,  that  peculiar  development  of  the 
soul  by  which  it  knows  how  to  take  hold  of  another, 
and  to  borrow  its  light  from  that  other. 

To  borrow  an  orchard  illustration,  there  is  but  one 
period  of  the  year  in   which  you  can  gra't  well.     Jt 


214  The  Methodist  Armor. 

may  be  possible  to  graft  successfully  at  other  times 
but  there  is  one  period  when  you  must  make  the  trans- 
fer if  you  would  take  a  bud  from  one  tree  and  graft 
it  into  another  and  have  it  produce  its  kind  and  do 
the  best  that  it  is  capable  of  doing.  There  is  but  just 
one  season  when  the  bark  lifts  easily,  and  the  staff  is 
in  the  right  condition. 

There  is  a  time,  also,  when  the  little  natures  bud 
easily  and  graft  easily.  It  is  possible  to  graft  them 
at  other  times  by  extra  elaboration,  but  more  than 
half  of  the  grafts  will  blow  out,  as  the  saying  is. 
There  is  a  period,  however,  in  which  ninety-nine  out 
of  a  hundred  will  stick  and  grow;  for  all  the  adap- 
tations of  the  child  at  that  time  are  such  as  to  incline 
it  to  borrow  its  life  from  another.  It  feeds  upon  an- 
other instinctively.  It  is  a  little  parasite.  It  is  but 
the  transfer  of  that  which  is  its  need  and  instinct  to 
the  blessed  Saviour.  And  then  it  becomes  a  Chris- 
tian child.  And  so,  adhering  to  Christ  by  love  and 
by  trust,  and  drawing  its  little  life  from  Christ,  it  be- 
gins the  Christian  career.  And  they  would  go  on  and 
grow  in  thousands  and  thousands  of  instances,  if  it 
were  not  that  parents  have  an  absurd  notion  that 
when  Christ  is  born  into  persons  he  is  a  self-register- 
ing and  self-taking-care-of  Christ,  so  that  they  say, 
"  If  my  child  is  born  of  God,  God  will  take  care  of  his 
own  work."  As  if  a  pomologist  should  come  in  and 
say,  "I  have  put  a  graft  into  that  tree,  and  if  nature 
is  true  to  herself  she  will  take  care  of  that  graft." 
Nobody  says  so  about  trees.  The  man  binds  up  the 
graft  so  that  it  shall  be  held  in  its  place,  so  that  the 
water  shall  not  get  in,  and  "so  that  it  shall  not  be 
blown  out  until   it  gains  strength  sufficient  to  take 


Church-membership.  215 

care  of  itself,  and  then  he  leaves  it  to  the  force  of 
nature. 

But  many  people,  in  bringing  up  their  children  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  look  with 
great  suspicion  on  early  Christian  experiences.  They 
are  afraid  of  abnormal  growths;  they  are  afraid  of 
such  material  as  Sunday-school  libraries  and  biogra- 
phies are  made  up  of;  they  regard  early  conversions 
as  indicating  disease  at  the  root  or  in  the  body  of  the 
tree;  they  do  not  believe  in  children  being  really 
Christians  because  they  do  not  see  in  the  child  that 
which  they  would  look  for  in  a  ripe  Christian.  But 
if  they  would  look  for  a  babe  Jesus  in  a  little  babe, 
they  would  find  that  there;  and  if  they  would  treat 
the  babe  Christ  as  they  would  the  babe  boy  or  the 
babe  girl,  and  nourish  it  and  carry  it  in  their  arms, 
and  rear  it  step  by  step;  if  they  would  treat  it  as  a 
little  child  embosomed  and  arm-encircled;  if  they 
would  shield  it  as  it  goes  through  all  temptation  and 
all  trial,  they  would  make  straighter  Christians,  better 
branched  Christians,  more  fruitful  Christians,  than 
those  that  are  made  at  last  out  of  old  and  bad  growths 
by  lopping  away  the  pernicious  boughs.  There  never 
will  be  the  ripest  and  most  symmetrical  characters  in 
the  Church  of  Christ  till  we  learn  how  to  bring  them 
up  from  the  seed  in  the  spirit  of  the  blessed  Master. 

There  are  many  persons  whose  children  give  every 
evidence  of  being  truly  Christian,  but  whose  parents 
shrink  from  bringing  them  into  the  fold.  "Ah!"  say 
they,  "what  if  they  should  fall  away?"  The  shep- 
herd's boy  comes  in  and  says,  "  The  ewe  has  dropped 
a  lamb  far  out  in  the  pasture,  shall  I  bring  it  up  to 
the  barn  and  put  it  inside  of  the  yard?"     "No,"  says 


216  The  Methodist  Armor. 

the  shepherd;  "  let  it  stay  out  to-night,  and  if  the  wolf 
does  not  get  it,  and  the  cold  chill  does  not  kill  it,  and 
it  lives  till  to-morrow  and  the  next  day,  it  will  be  worth 
keeping,  and  you  can  bring  it  in."  But  if  the  lamb 
can  live  in  spite  of  the  cold  and  wind,  and  without  the 
care  of  the  shepherd,  he  does  not  need  to  bring  it  in 
then. 

There  are  many  persons  who  say  of  the  young: 
"Shall  they  be  gathered  into  the  Church?  shall  we 
run  the  risk  of  their  bringing  disgrace  upon  the 
Church  by  their  fall? "  Which  is  the  most  important, 
in  the  name  of  God,  the  Church  or  the  souls  of  jnen 
for  which  Christ  died?  The  Church,  looked  at  as  the 
servant  of  God's  dear  people,  rises  before  my  thought 
most  beautiful;  but  if  the  Church  dare  to  take  the 
place  of  a  soul  of  a  man  and  make  itself  more  precious 
and  nobler  than  the  soul,  the  poorest  and  lowest  and 
least,  I  will  regret  it.  The  servant  has  usurped  the 
place  of  the  master  under  such  circumstances;  for  the 
Church  is  God's  slave,  sent  to  take  care  of  God's  chil- 
dren, and  if  the  Church  is  good  for  any  thing  it  is  good 
to  take  in  little  children  and  shelter  them;  to  take  in 
the  wayfarer  and  to  shelter  him;  to  take  in  the  spirit- 
ually poor  and  to  shelter  them. 

Suppose  that  they  do  break  down  and  do  not  get  on 
well  in  the  Church.  Is  a  hospital  brought  into  dis- 
grace because  patients  die  there  whom  the  doctors  have 
tried  to  cure?  Is  a  school  brought  into  disgrace  be- 
cause some  dullards  go  in  fools  and  come  out  idiots? 
And  shall  a  Church  be  always  trying  to  take  care  of  it- 
self instead  of  taking  care  of  that  which  God  loves  bet- 
ter than  any  thing  else— the  souls  of  his  dear  children  ? 
Bring  your  little  children  into  the  Church;  let  Christ 


Church-membership.  217 

be  born  in  tnem  the  hope  of  glory;  let  there  be  a  babe 
Christ  in  their  little  experiences;  let  them  be  formed 
into  classes.  Do  not  leave  them  out  with  the  wolf;  do 
not  leave  them  until  they  are  strong  enough  to  go  along 
without  a  Church  and  then  bring  them  in.  See  that 
they  are  taken  care  of  and  nourished. 

Those  who  have  been  brought  into  the  Church  young 
within  the  circuit  of  my  own  experience  have,  on  the 
whole,  with  single  exceptions  of  miscarriage  here  and 
there,  endured  and  come  out  into  a  true  Christian  life, 
with  far  better  prospects  and  more  symmetrical  disposi- 
tions than  those  who  have  been  brought  in  late  in  life. 

One  may  be  a  Christian  who  is  yet  very  far  from  the 
beauty  and  symmetry  and  manhood  of  piety.  We  are 
not  to  suppose  that  they  only  are  Christians  who  are 
beautiful  Christians,  or  who  are  embellished  with  all 
Christian  graces.  A  man  may  be  a  Christian  and  his 
Christ  may  be  a  babe;  a  man  may  be  a  Christian  and 
the  Christian  nature  in  him  may  yet  be,  as  it  were,  in 
its  boyhood. 

There  are  but  two  kingdoms,  one  of  truth  and  good- 
ness and  light,  the  other  of  falsehood  and  selfishness 
and  darkness.  The  little  children  do  not  belong  to  the 
kingdom  of  the  devil  till  some  one  has  rescued  them 
in  Christ's  name;  they  belong  to  Christ  unless  the  devil 
carries  them  off  and  makes  them  captives  to* sin  and 
death,  from  which  they  may  still  be  rescued  by  Chris- 
tian chivalry.  The  little  children  are  not  to  wait  til] 
they  become  as  men  before  they  can  enter  into  Christ's 
kingdom ;  the  grown  men  are  to  be  converted  and  be- 
come as  little  children  before  they  can  enter  it.  All 
children  are  Christ's;  it  is  the  duty  and  the  privilege 
of  parents  not  to  wait  with  anxiety  till  they  grow  !<' 


218  The  Methodist  Armor. 

years  of  discretion  and  then  hope  .to  convert  them  from 
evil  to  him;  it  is  their  privilege  to  train  them  for  him 
from  the  cradle,  to  so  train  them  that  they  shall  always 
go  steadily  forward,  growing  in  grace  and  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  God,  going  on  from  victory  to  victory.  In 
their  earliest  and  feeblest  struggles  they  have  Christ's 
sympathy  and  help;  in  their  earliest  life,  before  the 
first  shoots  have  begun  to  appear  above  the  ground, 
they  are  his.  The  Sun  of  righteousness  does  not  con- 
fine his  shining  to  the  great  trees;  it  shines  on  the 
hidden  seed  and  makes  trees  of  them. 

We  have  a  right  to  hope,  to  pray,  to  expect  for  our 
children  that,  like  John  the  Baptist,  they  will  be  filled 
from  their  mother's  womb  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is 
a  most  dangerous  error  to  suppose  that  they  cannot 
have  the  divine  help  and  inspiration  till  they  have 
come  to  be  old  enough  to  comprehend  its  desirability 
and -to  ask  for  it.  It  is  a  most  dangerous  error  to  sup- 
pose that  our  children  must  live  in  the  wilderness  till 
they  are  old  enough  to  seek  the  promised  land  of  their 
own  accord.  Not  till  the  Church  learns  to  train  its 
own  children,  not  only  for  Christ  but  in  Christ,  from 
the  cradle,  so  that  they  shall  always  be  Christ's,  will 
it  begin  to  really  vanquish  the  world.  Till  then  it  can 
hope  for  nothing  more  than  to  make  reprisals. 

I  believe  that  those  of  us  who  really  believe  this 
should  cany  out  our  belief  consistently;  that  we 
should  regard  our  children  as  members  of  the  Church 
as  truly  as  they  are  citizens  of  the  commonwealth; 
that  we  should  repudiate  in  stronger  terms  than  we 
are  wont  to  do  the  notion  that  they  cannot  be  members 
of  the  outwairl  community  of  "saints  till  they  have 
reached  years  of  discretion ;  that  we  should  accustom 


Ch  urch-membership.  219 

ourselves  to  regard  them  as  members  with  us  of  the 
household  of  faith,  and  should  accustom  them  to  so 
regard  themselves;  and  that  we  may  well  use  the  rite 
of  baptism  as  a  sign  of  this  faith  that  brings  our  chil- 
dren into  Christ's  household  with  ourselves. 

Baptized  children,  then,  ought  to  be  enrolled  by  name 
in  the  register  of  each  Church,  as  composing  a  distinct 
class  of  candidate  members,  and  thus  be  held  in  expect- 
ancy till  the  time  when  they  are  to  be  examined,  and 
those  that  are  found  to  meet  the  prescribed  conditions 
of  the  Discipline  should  be  admitted  into  the  full 
membership  of  the  Church. 

IV.  The  Duty  of  Joining  the  Chuech. 

i.  Every  one  desiring  to  save  his  soul  should  seek  a 
spiritual  home  in  some  branch  of  the  Church  of  God. 
That  this  is  a  duty  is  seen  from  the  teaching  and  prac- 
tice of  the  early  disciples.  The  converts  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost  immediately  joined  the  band  of  disciples. 
"And  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them  about 
three  thousand  souls."  (Acts  ii.  4.)  Also  the  con- 
verts in  Lystra,  Iconium,  and  Antioch  were  organized 
into  churches.  Hence,  it  is  said  of  the  apostles: 
:<  They  returned  again  to  Lystra,  and  to  Iconium,  and 
to  Antioch,  confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and 
exhorting  them  to  continue  in  the  faith."  (Acts  xiv. 
22. )  Within  the  Church  thus  organized  are  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel,  which  are  means  appointed  by 
God  to  help  us  work  out  our  salvation— such  as  spirit- 
ual discipline,  the  communion,  and  the  pastoral  watch- 
care. 

2.  Consider,  too,  the  benefit  of  pulpit  instruction. 
How  much  light  and  warmth  it  shfds  upon  the  world 


220  The  Methodist  Armor. 

in  this  way!  Think  of  seventy  thousand  ministers  in 
the  United  States,  men  of  culture  and  well  skilled  in 
preaching,  pouring  every  Sabbath  streams  of  moral 
] light  and  truth  upon  the  people !  What  a  vast  amount 
of  good  is  done!  What  a  great  help  it  is  to  sit  under 
the  enlightening  and  stirring  ministrations  of  the  pul- 
pit!    It  has  pleased  God  to  save  men  by  preaching. 

3.  Then,  again,  in  the  Church  is  the  stirring  influ- 
ence of  sacred  song.  The  hymn-book  is  a  power  in 
the  land.  There  can  never  be  such  a  bond  of  union  as 
sweet  and  animating  song.  How  often  on  the  wings  of 
song  our  dull  &ouls  begin  to  take  fire  and  rise  heaven- 
ward! How  often  it  comes  as  a  refreshing  rain  on 
parched  fields ! 

4.  Furthermore,  the  Church  generates  spiritual 
warmth.  "It  is  difficult  for  single  individuals,  un- 
less they  be  very  highly  endowed,  to  create  in  them- 
selves fervor  when  alone.  Now  and  then  there  is  a 
nature  that  can  generate  its  own  fire;  but  ordinarily 
you  must  put  stick  upon  stick,  and  spark  to  spark, 
and  flame  to  flame,  in  order  to  make  fervor;  and  it 
is  the  association  of  feeling,  it  is  feeling  in  the  multi- 
tude, whose  thought  kindles  in  each  individual  the 
highest  forms  of  emotion.  There  are  very  few  who 
have  the  power  of  solitary  zeal;  and  there  are  very 
few  who  have  not  the  power  of  associated  zeal.  The 
Christian  religion  depended  at  the  first,  and  has  evei 
since  depended,  and  will  to  the  end  depend  very  large- 
ly, on  Church  conditions ;  for  a  religion  whose  element 
is  love  and  not  awe,  a  religion  whose  very  life  is  sweet 
and  pure  emotion,  must  thrive  by  the  social  principle. 
It  was  never  meant  that  Christians  should  be  solitary; 
it  was  never  meant  that  they  shoidd  feed  themselves. 


Church-membership.  221 

It  was  meant  that  they  should  thrive  in  their  combined 
and  associated  capacities." 

5.  "In  Church  association  also  the  feeble  and  igno- 
rant get  from  the  gifts  of  all  an  education  which  is 
not  possible  in  any  other  way.  A  Church  that  has  a 
real  Christian  life  in  it  is  one  of  the  best  schools  to 
which  men  can  go.  If,  when  the  disciples  had  pro- 
fessed the  name  of  Christ,  each  one  had  made  his  own 
house  the  center,  and  his  own  relatives  exclusive  com- 
panions, there  would  have  been  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands in  the  course  of  time  who  would  have  been 
almost  without  instruction.  But  by  the  gathering  to- 
gether of  the  humble  and  lowly  with  those  of  cult- 
ure and  refinement  in  intimate  association,  the  under 
classes  gained  and  the  upper  classes  lost  nothing." 

6.  Church-membership  cultivates  brotherly  love  and 
mutual  assistance.  "As  soon  as  the  idea  of  brother- 
hood was  once  introduced,  as  soon  as  men  felt  that 
God  was  their  Father  and  that  Jesus  Christ  was  their 
elder  brother,  and  that  they  were  all  brethren,  and  they 
began  to  come  together  with  that  feeling,  instantly 
there  took  place  a  process  of  evolution  and  of  educa- 
tion which  never  can  be  measured,  and  which  can 
scarcely  be  overestimated.  There  is  an  education  of 
the  books,  and  there  is  an  education  in  the  higher 
forms  in  schools;  but  the  general  education  which  the 
community  receive  depends  largely  upon  the  association 
of  men  with  men.  It  is  the  unconscious  and  general 
action  of  the  higher  natures  upon  the  intermediate  or 
lower  that  is  perpetually  working  in  society.  There- 
fore a  Church  that  gathers  together  its  members,  if 
there  be  a  sweet  and  blessed  affection  flowing  through 
the  Church,  then  the  best  lives  in  the  Church  become 


222  The  Methodist  Armor. 

instructors,  and  all  the  poorest  lives,  the  lives  of  the 
whole  spiritual  household,  are  pervaded  by  a  common 
religious  sentiment;  the  gifts  of  all  belong  to  each, 
and  the  gifts  of  each  belong  to  all.  For  general  in- 
struction, then,  and  for  the  development  of  emotive 
life,  it  is  wise  for  those  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  gather  themselves  together." 

These  are  some  of  the  reasons  for  joining  the  Church 
that  existed  in  the  past,  and  will  still  exist  to  the  end 
of  time.  We  invite  men  into  Church-fellowship  be- 
cause it  is  a  duty ;  it  is  a  happier  life  and  a  more  use- 
ful one. 

Objections  Met. — "  Well,  but,"  says  one,  "  I  do  not 
feel  that  I  am  worthy  to  join  the  Church."  If  you 
mean  by  this  that  your  unworthiness  arises  from  liv- 
ing in  the  commission  of  some  sin — secret  or  known 
— and  you  do  not  mean  to  abandon  sin,  then  you  are 
not  fit.  There  can  be  no  advance  made  in  securing 
salvation,  either  in  or  out  of  the  Church,  till  a  man 
makes  up  his  mind  to  forsake  evil  and  learn  to  do 
well.  But  if  you  mean,  as  is  most  generally  the  case, 
that  you  are  not  worthy  because  you  have  not  reached 
the  standard  of  spiritual  excellence,  then  our  reply  is 
that  you  are  like  a  sick  man  who  does  not  feel  worthy 
to  be  cured,  or  a  boy  hanging  around  a  school-house, 
saying,  "I  am  too  ignorant  to  go  in  and  become  a 
scholar."  What  is  a  hospital  for  but  to  cure  sick  men, 
or  school-houses  for  but  to  educate  illiterate  persons? 
The  Church  is  a  curative  institution;  it  is  an  educat- 
ing institution;  it  is  a  household  where  spiritual  babes 
are  to  be  fed  and  raised. 

"  O  well,"  some  say,  "  we  do  n't  like  to  take  upon 
ourselves  the  duties  and  obligations  of  Church-mem' 


Methodism  and  Sunday -schools.  Il23 

bersliip."  There  is  not  a  duty  resting  on  a  member 
of  the  Church  that  does  not  rest  on  men  outside  of 
the  Church.  Moral  obligations  rest  upon  men  wheth- 
er they  be  in  or  out  of  the  Church.  There  is  not  a 
single  duty  that  will  be  incumbent  upon  you  when 
you  go  into  the  Church  that  is  not  incumbent  upon 
you  now.  Is  there  any  obligation  greater  than  this: 
"Thou  shalt  lore  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and 
mind  and  soul  and  strenyth,  and  thy  neiyhbor  as  thy- 
self." And  does  this  royal  law  not  become  binding 
till  a  man  joins  the  Church?  Why,  its  obligations 
fell  on  you  the  very  hour  you  crossed  the  line  of 
accountability.  It  rests  upon  you  in  or  out  of  the 
Church.  The  Church  does  not  create  moral  obliga- 
tion; it  only  helps  us  to  perform  the  duties  that  God 
has  laid  upon  us. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

METHODISM  AND  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 

I.  OlilGIN. 
While  Mr.  Wesley  was  a  missionary  in  Georgia,  "  he 
established  a  school  of  forty  children,  which  he  placed 
under  the  care  of  Mr.  Delamotte,  a  man  of  good  edu- 
cation, who  endeavored  to  blend  religious  instruction 
with  secular  learning;  and  on  Sunday  afternoon  Wes- 
ley met  them  in  the  church  before  evening  service, 
heard  the  children  recite  their  catechism,  questioned 
them  as  to  what  they  had  heard  from  the  pulpit,  en- 
deavoring to  fix  the  truth  in  their  understanding  a« 
well  as  in  their  memories.  This  was  a  regular  part 
of  his  Sunday  duties,  and  it  shows  that  John  Wesley, 
in  the  parish  of  Savannah,  had  established  a  Sunday 


224  The  Methodist  Armor. 

school  fifty  years  before  Robert  Raikes  originated  his  no- 
ble scheme  in  Gloucester,  and  eighty  years  before  the 
first  school  in  America  on  Mr.  Raikes' s  plan  was  es- 
tablished in  the  city  of  New  York.  Mrs.  Susannah 
Wesley,  mother  of  John  Wesley,  had  a  Sunday-school 
in  England  in  1764,  seventeen  years  before  Mr.  Raikes 
organized  his  school  in  1781.  In  1783,  Bishop  As- 
bury  organized  a  Sunday-school  in  Virginia. 

II.  .Eminent  Usefulness  of  These  Schools. 

1.  Think  of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  children 
who  have  been  led  to  Christ  through  these  schools! 
General  statistics  show  that  during  the  past  eighteen 
years  285,730  converted  souls  have  passed  from  the 
Sunday-schools  into  the  bosom  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
North.  And  what  is  true  of  this  Church  is  no  doubt 
true  of  others.  Truly  these  schools  are  the  nurseries 
of  the  Church. 

"  Some  years  since  a  noted  horticulturist  took  me  to 
see  h  is  orchard  of  young  peach-trees.  It  was  a  splen- 
did sight — thousands  of  trees  standing  in  long  rows 
and  comprising  all  the  rich  varieties  of  that  delicious 
fruit!  I  said  to  him,  'I  presume  you  are  very  care- 
ful in  the  selection  of  your  peach -kernels  in  order 
to  get  the  rarest  quality  of  fruit?'  'No,'  he  replied, 
we  plant  whatever  comes  to  hand,  and  then  we  bud 
them.  Every  one  of  these  trees  was  budded.'  This 
brought  to  light  a  curious  fact  in  horticulture.  Does 
the  gardener  wish  to  raise  a  rare  and  splendid  fruit, 
he  takes  a  bud  or  sprout  from  a  bearing  tree  and 
grafts  it.  No  matter  how  poor  a  variety  the  stock 
may  be  upon  which  he  grafts  it,  "the  bud  will  preserve 
its  own  identity;  it  will  grow  up  and  bear  its  own 


Methodism  and  Sunday-schools.  225 

fruit.  Thus  the  tree  will  be  made  to  bear  fruit  en- 
tirely different  from,  and  infinitely  superior  to,  that 
which  its  own  nature  would  have  produced.  Oui 
Sunday-school  system  is  a  system  of  spiritual  horti- 
culture; it  is  designed  to  ingraft  into  the  young  heart 
the  'incorruptible  seed'  of  the  word  of  God.  No 
matter  how  unpromising  the  variety  or  individual,  it 
will  take  root,  it  will  grow  up,  preserve  its  own  iden- 
tity, blossom  in  unfading  beauty,  send  forth  heavenly 
odors,  and  ripen  into  immortal  fruit.  My  brethren, 
let  us  learn  a  lesson  from  the  horticulturist.  Let  us 
have  more  faith  in  the  vitalizing  and  regenerating 
power  of  that  'incorruptible  seed'  which  it  is  our 
business  to  ingraft  into  the  mind  and  heart  of  the 
child." — Bishop  Clark. 

2.  Think,  again,  of  the  distinguished  statesmen, 
lawyers,  physicians,  merchants,  mechanics,  ministers, 
and  missionaries,  who  owe  their  eminence  and  useful- 
ness to  Sabbath-school  instruction.  We  need  to  trace 
the  influence  of  these  schools  in  quickening  the  whole 
Church,  and  in  opening  wide  and  promising  fields  for 
all  Christian  workers.  We  talk  of  reflex  influences. 
Was  there  ever  a  more  striking  example  of  it  than  we 
have  here?  Christians  meet  to  teach  children;  their 
services  are  gratuitous,  and  they  look  perhaps  for  a 
reward  in  heaven,  but  God  so  orders  events  that  they 
themselves  are  taught.  Agencies  and  influences  sur- 
round them  and  press  them  in  vast  numbers  to  th<- 
word  of  God,  Avhere  their  intellects  are  filled  with 
divine  truths,  where  they  drink  of  the  river  of  the 
water  of  life  and  are  refreshed,  where  they  receive 
stimulus  and  strength  to  work  for  the  Master.  Since 
the  introduction  of  the  International  Lessons.  tliP 
15 


226  Tht  Methodist  Armor. 

Sunday- school  has  become  the  greatest  theological 
seminary  in  Christendom. 

3.  Think  of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  well- 
educated  and  pious  men  and  women  who  are  engaged 
every  week  in  the  careful  study  of  God's  holy  word, 
with  the  varied  and  abundant  helps  furnished  by  com- 
mentaries, and  the  expositions  and  illustrations  given 
in  religious  periodicals  and  newspapers !  Consider  how 
their  own  minds  are  profited  and  enriched  by  these 
studies,  and  their  hearts  warmed  by  the  simultaneous 
contemplation  of  the  precious  doctrines  and  glorious 
hopes  that  shine  from  the  sacred  page!  Before  this 
great  theological  institution  —  every  day  becoming 
greater  —  in  which  God  himself  is  the  Teacher,  and 
over  which  the  Holy  Spirit  hovers  to  answer  the 
prayer  from  any  lips,  "  Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I 
may  behold  wondrous  things  out  of  thy  law;"  be- 
fore this  institution,  with  its  vast  array  of  students 
hungering  and  thirsting  after  knowledge  and  right- 
eousness, I  stand  filled  "with  admiratio'n,  and  with 
gratitude  to  God.  I  see  here  a  theological  insti- 
tute, capable  of  indefinite  enlargement,  with  its  doors 
open  to  all  who  will  come  in  and  sit  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus  and  learn  of  him. 

4.  As  a  missionary  organization  the  Sunday-school 
Las  done  a  great  work  in  establishing  and  sustaining 
schools  in  destitute  localities  and  in  remote  regions, 
where  it  has  kindled  the  first  gospel  light,  and  fur- 
nished the  means  for  the  instruction  of  the  ignorant 
and  neglected  classes.  Its  influence  has  been  sensibly 
and  extensively  felt  in  foreign  fields  through  its  con- 
tributions, its  missionary  bands  recently  so  largely 
increased,  and  (Especially  in  the  numerous  and  able 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  227 

missionaries  whom  it  has  raised  up  and  sent  forth  to 
preach  the  gospel. 

III.  Sunday-school  Statistics. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South:  Schools  or- 
ganized, 7,226;  officers  and  teachers,  57,867;  scholars, 
391,693;  total,  449,560. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  North:  Schools  or- 
ganized, 19,904;  officers  and  teachers,  212,442;  schol- 
ars, 1,743,735;  total,  1,956,178.  .    . 

With  the  latest  corrections  applied,  the  report  of 
the  Statistical  Secretary  presents  the  Sunday-school 
army  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  thus:  Total 
of  schools,  83,188;  teachers  and  officers,  894,793- 
scholars,  6,843,997;  total  of  teachers  and  scholars, 
7,738,790.  Of  the  above,  the  United  States  have: 
Schools,  77,793;  teachers  and  officers,  853,100;  schol- 
ars, 6,504,054;  total  of  teachers  and  scholars,  7,357,- 
154.  And  as  many  more  in  Great  Britain  and  other 
countries. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

METHODISM  AND  KEVIVALS. 

The  grand  feature  of  Methodism  is  a  revival  of 
scriptural  Christianity.  "Revivals  are  no  mere  in- 
cident of  Methodism.  It  is  itself  a  revival.  The 
entire  significance  of  it  is  given  in  that  word.  Meth- 
odism was  not  a  revolution  against  existing  ecclesi- 
astical authority,  nor  against  established  doctrines, 
but  a  revival  of  religion." — Bishop  Marvin. 

I.  What  is  a  Revival? 
It  is  a  deep  spiritual  interest  pervading  a  town  or  a 
neighborhood.     It  is  an  active,  stirring  excitement  on 


228  The  Methodist  Armor. 

the  question  of  personal  salvation.  There  are  three 
states  of  men.  There  is  the  state  of  lukewarnmess; 
the  state  of  serious  attention;  then  an  anxious  state, 
saying,  "What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved?"  When  this 
state  pervades  a  congregation,  it  is  a  revival  of  re- 
ligion. The  history  of  the  Church  is  marked  with 
periods  of  revivals — great  divine  freshets,  when  the 
rains  from  heaven  filled  the  ordinary  channels  fuller 
than  they  could  hold,  and  they  overflowed  their  banks 
and  spread  spiritual  beauty  and  fertility  on  both  sides 
clear  down  to  the  day  of  Pentecost,  which  was  one  of 
the  grandest  revivals  on  record.  The  genuineness  of 
revivals  is  so  clear  and  marked  as  to  set  aside  the 
necessity  of  argument.  "  I  believe  in  the  existence 
of  revivals  of  religion  as  much  as  I  believe  in  any 
other  fact,  either  physical  or  moral." — Dr.  Wayland. 
While  the  Methodist  Church  is  preeminently  the 
Church  of  revivals,  yet  nearly  all  the  Protestant 
Churches  have  more  or  less  adopted  the  principle. 
The  revival  Churches  are  the  growing  and  spreading 
Churches  in  our  land. 

II.  Benefits  of  Revivals. 

1.  To  Promote  the  Piety  of  the  Christians. — It  is  a 
great  work  to  elevate  the  Christian  character  of  the 
members  of  the  Church  to  a  higher  plane,  a  nobler 
form  of  development.  "Even  if  there  were  to  be  no 
ingathering  from  the  world,  it  is  oftentimes  that  a 
'  i  ef reshing  grace '  (as  it  is  called  in  the  old-fashioned 
language)  in  the  Church  is  preeminently  desirable, 
preeminently  a  blessing  from  God,  though  it  may 
stop  with  the  members  of  the  Church;  for  our  power 
is  not  numerical,   but  moral — it  is  not  so  much  how 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  229 

many  members  we  have  in  the  Church  that  deter- 
mines its  power  as  it  is  the  quality  of  that  which  we 
have.  A  church  of  twenty  men  who  are  eminent  in 
grace  and  goodness  is  a  larger  church,  if  you  meas- 
ure size  by  power,  than  a  church  of  two  thousand 
that  are  living  a  very  low,  worldly  form  of  life.  So 
that  when  men  in  the  Church  have  been  living  in 
routine  Christianity  without  any  very  active  develop- 
ment of  personal  faith  and  the  sweetness  of  the 
Christian  graces,  it  may  oftentimes  be  the  case  that 
a  revival  of  religion  will  be  the  divine  work  in  the 
Church;  and  though  many  are  not  added  to  the 
Church,  the  Church  itself  is  immensely  strengthened, 
its  power  is  augmented;  so  that  while  sometimes  you 
shall  find  men  ambitious  of  a  large  roll  of  members 
gathered  in  the  community,  this  is  not  the  most  im- 
portant part,  important  as  it  is.  It  is  still  more  im- 
portant that  in  gathering  in  these  men  those  that 
gather  shall  themselves  be  built  up,  shall  themselves 
be  developed  and  made  more  powerful." 

"A  revival  is  the  spring  of  religion,  the  renovation 
of  life  and  gladness.  It  is  the  season  in  which  young 
converts  burst  into  existence  and  beautiful  activity. 
The  Church  resumes  her  toil  and  labor  and  care  with 
freshness  and  energy.  The  air  all  around  is  balmy, 
and  diffusing  the  sweetest  odors.  The  whole  land- 
scape teems  with  living  promises  of  abundant  harvest 
of  righteousness  and  peace.  It  is  the  jubilee  of  holi- 
ness. A  genial  warmth  pervades  and  refreshens  the 
whole  Church.  Showers  of  'vernal  delight  and  joy' 
descend  gently  and  copiously.  Delightful  influences 
are  wafted  by  every  breeze." 

2.  The  Reclaiming  of  Backsliders. — One  of  the  blessed 


230  The  Methodist  Armor. 

results  of  a  revival  is  to  awaken  and  reclaim  back- 
sliders. There  aro  hundreds  and  thousands  in  the 
Church  who  are  sunk  down  into  a  deep  and  fearful 
state  of  religious  declension.  They  are  too  far  gone 
to  be  recovered  by  the  ordinary  means  of  grace.  The 
only  chance  to  lift  them  up  from  this  gulf  of  declen- 
sion is  a  flood  of  revival  grace.  Nothing  less  than  the 
thunder  of  a  religious  storm  will  wake  them  up  and 
bring  them  to  repentance  and  renewed  obedience.  A 
powerful  revival  will  open  their  blind  eyes  and  melt 
their  hard,  marble  hearts,  and  break  the  spell  of  sin, 
and  save  them. 

3.  The  Conversion  of  Sinners. — The  immediate  con- 
version of  sinners  is  the  leading  idea  of  a  revival. 
One  of  the  most  extraordinary  elements  of  the  gospel 
is  its  power  of  suddenly  transforming  the  souls  of 
men.  It  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
one  that  belie veth. 

"A  gambler  may  in  a  moment  cease  to  gamble, 
and  never  again  touch  the  instrument  of  deceit.  A 
drunkard  may  in  one  single  moment  come  to  a  pur- 
pose by  which  he  shall  never  again  touch  the  fatal 
cup.  The  effects  of  his  past  misconduct  will  not  pass 
away  at  once,  but  the  man  has  made  a  stand  that  will 
affect  his  whole  character." 

"A  man  may  be  pursuing  lewd  courses,  he  may  be 
pursuing  a  dissolute  life,  and  in  one  single  hour  he 
may  set  the  rudder  so  that  his  whole  track  after  that 
will  be  iipon  a  different  line.  The  beginnings  may 
be  sudden,  and  it  is  the  knowledge  of  this  fact  that 
there  is  a  power  by  which  men  may  be  changed — not 
in  single  instances  alone,  but  in  multitudes — that 
inspires  us  to  work  in  revivals  of  religion.    We  do 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  231 

not,  therefore,  get  up  a  religious  enthusiasm  in  a  so- 
cial form  simply  to  enjoy  ourselves  and  to  exalt  the 
feeling  of  the  Church,  but  we  do  it  because  in  that 
heat  which  is  generated  you  can  develop  in  wicked 
men  a  newness  of  life  which  it  would  seem  very  dif- 
ficult to  develop  under  any  other  circumstances. 
This  is  the  language  of  experience  and  observation, 
and  not  of  theory." 

Look  at  the  first  great  revival  that  occurred  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost.  Three  thousand  hard-hearted  sin- 
ners were  converted  in  one  day.  Who  were  they? 
"  Strangers "  who  had  come  from  a  distance  to  Jeru- 
salem. No  doubt  but  that  they  were  men  of  spiritual 
ignorance  and  wicked  lives.  Paul,  the  blood-red  per- 
secutor, is  struck  down  beneath  the  outbursting  splen- 
dor of  Christ's  manifested  presence,  and  transformed 
into  a  flaming  apostle.  The  Ethiopian  eunuch,  riding 
in  his  chariot,  is  changed  suddenly,  and  "went  on  his 
way  rejoicing."  The  publican  sunk  down  beneath  the 
mountain-load  of  guilt,  and  cried,  "  God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner! "  The  burden  rolled  off,  light  flashed 
into  his  darkened  mind,  peace  welled  up  in  his  heart, 
and  "he  went  down  to  his  house  justified."  The 
Philippian  jailer  is  suddenly  awakened  to  see  his 
sinfulness  and  awful  danger,  and  then  in  a  few  mo- 
ments he  emerges  from  heathen  darkness  into  the 
glorious  light  and  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 

"  Name  any  specific  sin  in  the  catalogue  of  heinous 
crimes,  the  forgiveness  of  which  God  has  not  illus- 
trated in  Biblical  history:  Noah,  the  inebriate;  Abra- 
ham, the  falsifier;  Moses,  the  son  of  ambition;  Aaron, 
the  idolater;  Solomon,  the  libertine;  Manasseh,  the 
murderer;  Peter,  the  swearer;  David,  the  adulterer; 


232  The  Methodist  Armor. 

the  nameless  robber  of  Calvaria;  Paul,  the  persecutor; 
and  fallen  women,  but  represent  tens  of  thousands 
who  have  sung  triumphantly:  'O  God!  I  will  praise 
thee;  for,  though  thou  wast  angry  with  me,  thine  an- 
ger is  turned  away,  and  thou  comf ortest  me ! ' 

"Infidels,  such  as  Newton,  Rochester,  and  Charney; 
veteran  sinners,  such  as  Marcus  Caius  Victorius;  sav- 
age chieftains,  such  as  Africana;  pagan  monarchs, 
such  as  Clovis  and  Constantine,  have  found  Christ's 
atonement  ample  for  their  salvation.  Read  Paul's 
array  of  sinful  classes  saved  from  among  the  Corin- 
thians, as  he  enumerates  them  in  the  sixth  chapter 
of  his  first  letter  to  the  Corinthians.  "What  a  rich 
freight  of  cheer  comes  to  unsaved  men  on  the  opening 
words  of  our  text:  'All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy 
shall  be  forgiven  unto  men! ' " 

4.  The  Conversion  of  Children- -Bevivals  are  pre- 
cious seasons  for  bringing  in  the  children  and  young 
persons;  and  special  pains  should  be  taken  to  lead 
them  to  Christ.  The  young  are  the  hope  of  the 
Church.  They  will  be  its  strong  pillars  when  the 
fathers  have  passed  away.  They  are  soon  to  fill  the 
pulpits  and  pews  of  the  Church.  The  glory  of  the 
future  Church  will  depend  upon  them.  As  the  beau- 
ty of  spring,  the  glory  of  summer,  and  the  fruitful- 
ness  of  the  autumn  depend  upon  the  healthy  buds 
and  germs  of  the  spring,  so  the  power,  excellency, 
efficiency,  and  fruitfulness  of  the  future  Church  will 
depend  upon  the  early  conversion  and  thorough  train- 
ing of  the  children.  And  the  Church  that  takes  the 
best  care  of  the  lambs  will  have  the  grandest  flock 
feeding  in  the  green  pasture  of  gospel  grace.  The 
Church  that  transplants  the  most  of  these  immortal 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  233 

scions  will  have  the  largest,  most  fragrant  and  fruit- 
ful orchard.  The  Church  that  gets  the  most  youthful 
recruits,  and  trains  and  drills  them  well,  will  have  the 
grandest,  most  aggressive  and  effective  army  to  con- 
quer the  world  for  Christ.  It  requires  no  prophetic 
vision  to  see  which  denomination  will  be  the  greatest 
Church  of  the  future  in  America.  It  will  be  that 
Church  which  is  instrumental  in  converting  the  most 
children,  and  developing  them  into  fruitful  Chris- 
tians. Then,  work  for  the  conversion  of  the  children. 
Let  there  be  no  mock  fear  about  them  being  too 
young  to  be  converted.  There  are  very  early  con- 
versions. 

5.  Earl)/  Conversions. — Dr.  Talmage  says:  "It  is 
sometimes  said  that  during  revivals  of  religion  great 
multitudes  of  children  and  young  people  are  brought 
into  the  Church,  and  they  do  not  know  what  they  are 
about.  It  has  been  my  observation  that  the  earlier 
people  come  into  the  kingdom  of  God  the  more  useful 
they  are." 

Robert  Hall,  the  prince  of  Baptist  preachers,  was 
converted  at  twelve  years  of  age.  It  is  supposed  he 
knew  what  he  was  about.  Matthew  Henry,  the  com- 
mentator, who  did  more  than  any  man  of  his  century 
for  increasing  the  interest  in  the  study  of  the  Script- 
ures, was  converted  at  eleven  years  of  age;  Isabella 
Graham,  immortal  in  the  Christian  Church,  was  con- 
verted at  ten  years  of  age;  Dr.  Watts,  whose  hymns 
will  be  sung  all  down  the  ages,  was  converted  at  nine 
years  of  age;  Jonathan  Edwards,  perhaps  the  might- 
iest intellect  that  the  American  pulpit  ever  produced, 
was  converted  at  seven  years  of  age.  And  that  father 
and  mother  take  an  awful  responsibility  when  they 


234:  The  Methodist  Armor. 

tell  their  child  at  seven  years  of  age,  "You  are  too 
young  to  be  a  Christian,"  or,  "You  are  too  young  to 
connect  yourself  with  the  Church."  That  is  a  mistake 
as  long  as  eternity. 

If  during  a  revival  two  persons  present  themselves 
as  candidates  for  the  Church,  and  the  one  is  ten  years 
of  age  and  the  other  is  forty  years  of  age,  I  will  have 
more  confidence  in  the  profession  of  religion  of  the 
one  ten  years  of  age  than  the  one  forty  years  of  age. 
Why?  The  one  who  professes  at  forty  years  of  age 
has  forty  years  of  impulse  in  the  wrong  direction  to 
correct;  the  child  has  only  ten  years  in  the  wrong  di- 
rection to  correct.  Four  times  ten  are  forty.  Four 
times  more  the  religious  prospect  for  the  lad  that 
comes  into  the  kingdom  of  God  and  into  the  Church 
at  ten  years  of  age  than  for  the  man  at  forty. 

We  may  add  that  it  is  stated  that  Bishop  Asbury 
was  converted  at  thirteen,  Bishop  Roberts  at  ten,  Dr. 
Benson  at  sixteen,  while  Richard  Baxter  and  Bishop 
Andrew  were  so  taught  that  they  never  knew  the  exact 
time  of  their  conversion. 

Children  are  converted  just  as  adults  are  converted. 
The  child  is  the  father  of  the  man.  The  nearer  we 
are  to  the  birth,  the  nearer  we  are  to  the  new  birth. 
The  oldest,  the  wisest,  has  to  enter  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  as  a  child.  Every  child  old  enough  to  sin  is 
old  enough  to  repent  and  believe.  Then,  again,  how 
much  easier  it  is  to  get  children  converted  than  old, 
hard-hearted  sinners?  It  is  easy  to  turn  the  lamb 
while  gentle  into  the  pasture,  but  when  it  grows  up  to 
be  an  old  sheep  and  wanders  far  away  upon  the  bleak 
mountains  of  sin,  becomes  wild  and  shy,  how  difficult 
the  work  of  hunting  it  Tip  and  driving  it  back  to  tlte 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  235 

gate  where  it  stood  when  a  little  lamb!  And  when 
put  into  the  fold,  its  bad  habits  render  it  liable  to 
leave  the  fold  and  go  back  to  its  old  haunts.  The  ap- 
plication is  easy.  The  child  is  the  gentle  lamb,  that 
can  be  easily  turned  in  through  the  gate  of  conversion 
into  the  green  pastures  of  the  Church.  The  wild 
sheep  is  the  child  neglected  till  it  wanders  off,  con- 
tracts the  bad  habits  of  drinking,  swearing,  unbelief, 
and  other  sins  which  render  his  conversion  difficult. 

Two  men  have  nurseries.  The  wise  man  takes  up 
a  hundred  scions  while  small,  transplants  them  into  a 
fertile  and  well-prepared  soil.  They  take  root  and 
grow  up  into  symmetrical  trees,  which  flourish  and 
bear  much  fruit.  He  has  a  beautiful,  fragrant,  fruit- 
ful orchard.  The  foolish  man  lets  his  scions  alone. 
They  grow  up  into  scraggy  trees.  They  must  be 
transplanted  or  be  destroyed.  Now,  he  commences 
the  work  of  transplanting.  They  have  grown  old, 
heavy,  deeply  rooted  in  the  soil.  What  labor  to  dig 
around  and  around,  to  prize  and  heave,  in  order  to 
get  them  up!  Then  he  must  work  almost  as  hard  in 
digging  deep  holes  where  they  are  to  be  planted.  He 
must  lop  off  many  limbs  and  plant  carefully,  fertilize 
•well,  and  then  probably  half  of  them  will  wither  and 
die  after  all  of  his  hard  labor.  The  wise  man  repre- 
sents the  preacher  laboring  for  the  conversion  of  the 
children.  The  foolish  man  represents  the  preacher 
who  neglects  the  children  till  they  grow  up  into  hab- 
its of  sinfulness,  and  then  works  for  their  conversion. 
This  whole  country  is  full  of  old  sinners  who  stand  as 
old  scrubby  oaks  in  the  forest  of  wickedness.  Will 
they  ever  be  transplanted  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord 
and  become  "trees  of  righteousness? "    Will  the  mill- 


236  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ions  of  heathen  rooted  in  the  soil  of  superstition 
ever  be  transplanted  by  a  handful  of  missionaries? 
This  world  cannot  be  converted  by  the  old  process  of 
transplanting  grown  trees.  No,  never.  The  Church 
must  begin  at  the  cradle — must  transplant  the  mill- 
ions of  the  world  while  they  are  tender,  growing 
plants. 

III.  The  Agencies  to  be  Used  in  Secuking  a 
Revival. 

1 .  One  of  the  most  effective  and  reliable  means  is 
the  faithful  preaching  of  the  divine  truth.  It  should 
be  adapted  to  produce  the  result  desired. 

(1)  Such  Preaching  as  will  Convince  the  Judgment. — ■ 
"  Knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord,"  said  Paul,  "  we 
persuade  men."  It  was  the  compulsion  of  persua- 
sion which  the  Saviour  enjoined  upon  his  disciples 
as  a  means  of  inducing  men  to  come  in,  that  his 
Father's  house  might  be  filled.  Hence  the  control  of 
attention  and  the  impartation  of  instruction,  however 
important  of  themselves,  are  nevertheless  to  be  re- 
garded as  means  to  the  higher  end  of  convincing 
men  of  spiritual  truth  and  religious  duty.  As  God 
has  implanted  reasoning  faculties  in  every  mind,  it 
is  the  preacher's  duty  to  bring  Christian  truth  within 
the  action  of  those  faculties,  so  that  they  may  be  en- 
listed in  its  reception  and  study.  To  this  end  he 
must  be  a  lover  of  truth,  and  must  illustrate  its  in- 
fluence not  only  in  his  life,  but  in  his  modes  of  rea- 
soning. No  mental  reservations  must  be  allowed  to 
underlie  his  statements,  no  covert  sophistries  to  im- 
peach his  candor,  and  no  evasions  to  betray  his  lack 
of  confidence  in  the  truths  he  assumes  to  utter.    His 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  237 

motto  must  be,  "Having  believed,  therefore  do  I 
speak;"  and  in  showing  forth  the  reasons  for  the 
faith  that  is  in  him,  he  will  not  fail  to  persuade 
others  also. 

(2)  The  Preach  in;/  should  Arouse  the  Conscience. — It 
was  especially  designed  to  reach  and  quicken  that 
silent  and  often  silenced  monitor  of  every  breast, 
which,  however  averse  its  possessor  may  be,  seldom 
fails  to  respond  to  earnest  reasoning  in  "temper- 
ance, righteousness,  and  a  judgment  to  come."  Pow- 
erless and  valueless  for  true  religious  effect  are  those 
sermons  which  awaken  no  echoes  in  the  chambers  of 
conscience;  whereas  the  faithful  word  which  startles 
into  action  a  dormant  consciousness  of  guilt  before 
God,  and  confronts  a  careless  soul  with  its  own  short- 
comings and  their  consequences,  is  of  priceless  value 
in  the  moral  history  of  that  soul.  When  the  con- 
science is  properly  aroused,  it  becomes  an  auxiliary 
of  untold  power  to  aid  the  preacher  in  his  further 
work.  It  supplies  the  listening  ear,  the  tender  heart, 
and  the  consenting  will.  Thus  it  is  tliat  through  the 
office  of  preaching  God  works  within  men  "to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure,"  and  yet  in  per- 
•fect  harmony  with  their  individual  freedom  of  choice 
and  action. 

(3)  The  Preaching  should  Melt  the  Sensibilities. — As 
man  embraces  in  his  nature  the  most  varied  powers 
and  susceptibilities,  so  preaching  was  designed  to 
address  and  influence  every  faculty  of  his  being 
Intensely  fallacious,  therefore,  is  the  theory  of  some 
that  preaching  should  only  address  the  judgment. 
That,  indeed,  is  to  be  done  in  a  manly  and  faithful 
manner:  but  the   more  delicate  task  of  warming  the 


238  The  Methodist  Armor. 

heart  and  kindling  the  emotions  is  not  to  be  left 
undone.  For  this  there  is  no  power  equal  to  a  righi 
exercise  and  an  unaffected  expression  of  the  re- 
ligious affections.  How  true  is  the  classic  precepi 
of  Horace,  "  Weep  yourself  if  you  would  see  others 
weep,"  compared  with  the  heart-utterances  of  the 
Hebrew  prophets  and  psalmist.  Listen  to  Jeremiah 
as  he  exclaims,  "  O  that  my  head  were  waters  and 
mine  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  I  might  weep  day 
and  night  for  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of  my  peo- 
ple!" Also,  David,  when  he  said:  "They  that  sow 
in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that  goeth  forth  and 
weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come 
again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him." 
The  preacher  who  cherishes  or  illustrates  a  cold, 
unsympathetic  nature,  or  whose  ideas  of  propriety 
would  repress  every  emotion  that  does  not  freeze  in 
its  utterance,  is  a  poor  representative  of  Him  who 
shed  tears  over  Jerusalem,  and  who  wept  at  the 
grave  of  Lazarus.  If  "love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law,"  and  if  "Christian  faith  works  by  love  and  puri- 
fies the  heart,"  then  let  no  preacher  of  the  gospel 
fear  or  fail  to  cherish  a  consuming  love  for  his  fel- 
low-men, and  to  imbue  his  messages  with  a  warmth 
of  sentiment  which  will  soften  frigid  hearts  and  melt 
down  the  obduracy  of  impenitence.  Well  has  it  been 
said  that  he  who  loves  most  will  preach  best. 

(4)  The  Great  End,  Aim,  and  Result  of  the  Preaching 
shoidd  be  to  Lead  Sinners  to  the  Saviour. — All  other  ele- 
ments focalize  in  this.  Hence,  whether  by  instruc- 
tion, persuasion,  conviction,  or  entreaty,  or  by  all 
combined,  the  preacher  must  by  all  means  strive  to 
save  men.      Hence,  also,  that  method,  or  combination 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  239 

of  methods,  which  will  save  most  is,  without  question, 
the  best.  At  this  point  the  controlling  purpose  of 
the  preacher  will  greatly  influence  the  character  of 
his  preaching.  Moral  and  spiritual  results  rarely 
ensue  by  accident.  The  laws  of  intellectual  and 
spiritual  influence  are  not  less  positive  than  those 
which  govern  matter.  He  that  would  preach  the 
gospel  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
men  must  study  those  laws  and  avail  himself  of  their 
power.  Of  all  the  good  gifts  which  it  is  permitted 
men  to  covet,  that  of  winning  souls  is  the  greatest. 
For  the  attainment  of  this  it  is  the  privilege  of  every 
minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  toil  with  a  holy  ambi- 
tion and  to  pray  with  an  unwavering  faith,  relying 
upon  the  promised  aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  this 
he  should  account  no  labor  irksome,  no  study  hard, 
no  experiment  profitless.  For  this  even  failures  may 
become  to  him  lessons  of  help,  and  sacrifices  the 
source  of  glorious  rewards.  A  ministry  that  is  not 
crowned  with  the  result  of  soul-saving,  however  it 
may  win  human  applause  or  snuff  the  incense  of  ad- 
miration, is  poor  indeed;  whereas  he  that  is  blessed 
of  God,  in  using  the  appointed  means  of  converting 
sinners  from  the  errors  of  their  ways,  enjoys  a  priv- 
ilege that  angels  might  covet. 

2.  Praying  for  the  Unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — "All 
revivals  are  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  are 
never  manipulated  into  existence.  When  religion  is 
revived,  God  does  it.  Nothing  can  substitute  the  di- 
vine presence  and  power.  The  'times  of  refresh- 
ing' are  'from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.'  But  God 
always  works  among  men  through  human  media,  so 
that  while  'the  power  is  of  God,'  'itworketh  mightily 


240  The  Methodist  Armor 

ill'  his  people." — Bishop  Marvin.  And  as  the  power 
of  developing  and  carrying  on  a  revival  is  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  disciples  were  commanded  to  tarry  at 
Jerusalem  till  that  power  came.  "Ye  shall  receive 
power  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you." 
The  power  that  leads  men  to  Christ  is  not  the  power 
of  eloquence.  The  power  of  eloquence  may  move 
and  burn,  but  it  cannot  regenerate  the  soul  of  man. 
The  cold  moonlight  of  human  eloquence  Can  never 
melt  down  the  icebergs  of  sin.  It  will  take  the  sum- 
mer beams  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  do  that. 

Neither  is  it  the  power  of  logic.  Mere  argument  can- 
not convert  a  soul.  You  have  seen  sheet-lightning  how 
it  flashes  and  dazzles,  but  it  never  wields  the  bolt  that 
smites  and  kills.  Cold  logic  is  the  mere  sheet-light- 
ning. It  is  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  smites 
sinners  and  converts  their  souls. 

"  Now,  it  was  just  exactly  that  mood  of  the  higher 
faculties  which  came  to  the  apostles  after  Christ's  as- 
cension, when  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  upon  them. 
It  is  precisely  that  faith  which  is  produced  upon  God's 
people  now  when  the  Holy  Ghost  descends  into  their 
hearts.  There  is  not  an  explainable  personality,  there 
is  not  an  explicable  influence,  but  there  is  the  witness, 
from  age  to  age,  of  thrice  ten  thousand  in  every  gen- 
eration, that  it  is  best  for  men  so  to  hold  their  souls 
that  they  shall  be  filled  with  the  divine  enthusiasm — 
that  it  is  a  divine  enthusiasm  which  in  the  main  mani- 
fests itself  by  giving  tone  and  electric,  or  magic,  power 
to  the  higher  moral  and  spiritual  sentiments  in  the 
human  soul;  and  it  is  exactly  that  part  of  the  mind 
which  is  ordinarily  capable  of  being  the  most  effica- 
cious upon  others.     No  man  inspires  faith  in  his  fel- 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  241 

low-man  who  has  not  faith  himself;  no  man  inspires 
warmth  in  them  who  has  not  warmth  himself;  no  man 
inspires  enthusiasm  in  them  who  does  not  generate  en- 
thusiasm in  his  own  soul.  And  to  do  this  transcends 
nature.  In  order  to  do  this,  we  need  to  have  the  divine 
influence  exerted  upon  our  souls.  And  it  is  for  this 
that  the  truth  of  the  Divine  Spirit  is  revealed.  It  is 
distinctively  peculiar.  It  was  known  among  the  proph- 
ets uuder  the  old  dispensation;  it  became  the  posses- 
sion or  right  of  the  whole  brotherhood  of  men  under 
the  new  dispensation;  and  it  is  possible  for  men  to 
live  in  such  a  light,  in  such  a  warmth,  and  so  under 
the  stimulating  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that 
the  higher  part  of  their  nature  shall  be  constantly  in 
an  innocuous  state,  warming,  and  lighting,  and  bless- 
ing men.  Now,  in  this  higher  condition  of  the  nobler 
faculties,  more  than  in  any  other  condition,  we  lose 
the  fear  of  men,  and  escape  from  that  bias  and  dam- 
aging influence  which  comes  in  through  the  love  of 
approbation.  We  love  the  praise  of  God  more  than 
the  praise  of  men,  therefore  we  are  lifted  up  above  a 
thousand  temptations  and  infelicities;  above  the  cur- 
rents which  blow  close  down  to  the  earth — the  '  land 
currents,'  as  they  are  called." 

In  laboring  for  a  revival,  nothing  is  so  important  as 
earnest,  persevering,  and  believing  prayer.  There 
must  be  private  and  public  prayer.  The  preachers 
and  the  people  must  pray  mightily  for  the  outpour- 
ing of  the  Spirit.  For  our  encouragement,  we  are  told 
by  the  Master  "  that  God  loves  to  give  good  gifts  to 
his  children  that  ask  him,"  more  than  parents  love  to 
give  bread  to  their  children.  He  challenges  us.  He 
says:  "If  ye;  being  evil,  know  !  ow  to  give  good  gifts 
16 


212  The  Methodist  Armor. 

mi  to  your  children,  how  much,  more  shall  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven?"  That  is,  how  much  more  shall 
One  who  is  not  evil,  who  is  not  narrow,  who  is  not 
ignorant,  who  is  not  imperfect — how  much  more  shall 
the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Father  in  heaven  do 
for  men  than  the  erring  affection  and  limited  wisdom 
of  earthly  parents  do  for  their  children!  God's  boun- 
ty is  universal,  unquestionable;  and  nothing  pleases 
God  so  much  as  that  we  should  draw  upon  him.  "  It 
is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive,"  said  Christ. 
He  said  so  because  he  felt  it.  He  said  so  because 
it  was  true  of  the  Eternal  Father.  The  happiness 
of  God  comes  from  this,  that  he  is  eternally  pouring 
out  from  himself.  He  loves  to  give,  and  rejoices  to 
give. 

If,  then,  you  need  consolation,  enlightenment,  power, 
enthusiasm,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  is  to  be  sought. 
It  is  not  to  be  purchased  by  labor-pains,  by  penalties, 
or  by  tasks ;  it  is  to  be  received.  It  comes  as  the  dew 
comes;  it  falls  as  the  rain  falls;  it  streams  abroad  as 
the  light  streams  abroad;  it  is  that  which  God  loves 
to  give,  that  which  you  need  to  receive,  and  that 
which  every  man  should  seek  and  should  take.  When 
the  preacher  is  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  his  ser- 
mon will  move  the  people. 

He  will  preach  as  though  he  ne'er  should  preach  again, 
And  as  a  dying  man  to  dying  men. 

IV.  The  Cooperation  of  the  People  with  the 
Preachers. 

On  this  point,  Mr.  Moody  has  some  very  practical 
and  useful  remarks.  He  says:  "  There  are  three  class- 
es in  the  Church.     First,  the  formalists,  who  criticise. 


Methodism  and  Bevivals.  243 

Tliey  say,  We  can  have  nothing  to  do  with  these  evan- 
gelists; we  must  maintain  dignity  and  order  in  our 
services.  These  are  the  same  class  of  people  who 
cried  out,  '  Crucify  him!  crucify  him! '  They  resent- 
ed the  preaching  of  the  Nazarene,  and  they  objected 
to  his  unorthodox  sermons,  and  the  crowds  who  fol- 
lowed him  about,  and  his  ignoram  disciples  who  were 
not  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees. 

"Then  there  are  the  sponges.  They  take  all  the 
comfort  they  can  get,  but  give  out  nothing.  They 
are  going  to  meetings  all  the  time,  listening  to  ser- 
mons; but  you  can  never  get  them  to  work.  They  do 
not  teach  in  our  Sunday-schools;  they  will  not  visit 
the  sick. 

"The  third  is  the  class  we  want— the  Christian 
workers.  All  the  while  the  minister  is  preaching  they 
are  praying  for  the  Spirit  of  God  to  carry  the  truth  to 
the  hearts  of  sinners.  After  the  service  they  are  look- 
ing out  for  some  one  to  speak  to  and  to  make  a  personal 
appeal.  A  minister  who  has  a  hundred  such  workers 
in  his  congregation  will  revolutionize  the  part  of  the 
city  he  works  in.  The  trouble  is  not  so  much  in  get- 
ting men  to  hear  the  gospel  as  in  getting  men  to  work. 

"We  hear  much  of  those  who  show  zeal  without 
knowledge,  but  I  had  a  thousand  times  rather  have 
zeal  without  knowledge  than  knowledge  without  zeal 
We  must  learn  never  to  despise  the  weakest  workers 
in  the  Master's  service.  God  chooses  the  weak  things; 
God  uses  the  foolish  things.  We  want  to  have  the  wise 
and  the  strong,  and  we  are  not  content  to  follow  God's 
plan,  for  God  often  passes  over  the  wise.  If  you  had 
asked  the  men  of  other  days  who  were  the  great  men  of 
the  time,  they  would  not  have  pointed  you  to  John  Bun- 


24.4.  The  Methodist  Armor. 

yan,  or  to  Luther,  to  Abraham,  to  Enoch,  or  to  Noah. 
John  Bunyan  got  shut  up  in  Bedford  jail,  but  the  devil 
found  his  match  when  he  laid  John  Bunyan  up  there. 
We  never  should  have  had  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  if 
it  had  not  been  that  John  Bunyan  had  leisure  in  his 
cell  to  write  his  wonderful  dream.  The  millionaires 
are  not  the  workers  inHhe  Church ;  God  passes  them  by. 
If  they  are  converted,  they  are  not  used.  God  passes 
them  by,  and  takes  up  some  poor  tramp.  Even  Paul 
said  his  strength  lay  in  his  great  weakness. 

"  To  arouse  the  Christian  Church  to  a  sense  of  its 
duty,  and  to  induce  Christian  men  to  go  out  and  work 
for  their  Master,  is  one  of  the  highest  missions  open 
to  man.  An  anxious  Church  is  sure  to  bring  anxious 
inquirers,  but  a  cold  and  dead  Church  is  dead  for  the 
work  of  the  Lord.  Very  few  men  are  converted  un- 
der sermons;  I  have  hardly  ever  met  one  who  was. 
Men  are  awakened  under  a  sermon,  and  then  is  the 
time  for  the  Christian  to  speak,  to  plead,  and  to  pray 
until  the  anxious  soul  finds  peace.  Do  not  forget  that 
the  precious,  the  useful  work  often  begins  when  the 
sermon  is  just  over.  I  believe  the  usefulness  of  many 
a  sermon  has  been  lost  altogether  by  the  congregation 
getting  up  directly  it  was  over  and  beginning  to  talk 
about  worldly  matters.  There  has  not  been  that  sup- 
port, that  holding  up  of  the  hands  of  the  ministry  by 
the  Church  that  there  ought  to  be  and  used  to  be." 

V.  The  Transcendent  Importance  of  Revivals. 

"God  calls  us  to  the  work  of  leading  sinners  to 
Christ.  Inspiration  tells  us  that  '  he  who  converteth 
a  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way  shall  save  a  soul 
from  death  and  hide  a  multitude  of  sins.'     God  saves 


Methodism  and  Revivals.  245 

men  through  human  agency.  Men  perish  through 
human  neglect  of  duty.  See  the  apostles  as  they  toil 
for  souls!  Over  Syrian  deserts,  through  the  storms 
of  the  sea,  in  pestilential  climes,  amid  hunger  and 
thirst  and  persecution,  they  hurried  to  tell  dying  men 
of  Jesus.  And  multitudes,  yearning  for  souls,  have 
trodden  in  their  footsteps.  Brainerd  and  Eliot,  Lat- 
imer and  Baxter,  Berridge  and  Venn,  Whitefield  and 
Wesley — how  these  have  talked  with  seraph  tongues, 
and  labored  with  apostolic  zeal  for  Christ!  Were  the 
whole  Church  thus  consecrated  to  the  salvation  of 
men,  the  coming  century  would  inaugurate  that  co- 
lossal concert  of  angels  at  which  John  represents 
them  as  leading  and  universal  humanity  thundering 
the  chorus :  '  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  re- 
ceive honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing;  and  every  creat- 
ure which  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  heard  I  saying, 
Blessing  and  honor  and  glory  and  power  be  unto  him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for- 
ever and  ever!' " 

VI.   HlNDEEANCES  TO  A  EEVIVAL. 

The  following  conclusions  are  the  result  of  the 
experience  and  observation  of  a  very  eminent  reviv- 
alist: 

1.  A  revival  will  stop  when  the  Church  believes  it 
is  going  to  stop. 

2.  A  revival  will  cease  when  Christians  consent  that 
it  should  cease. 

3.  A  revival  will  cease  whenever  Christians  become 
mechanical  in  their  attempts  to  promote  it. 

4.  It  will  cease  whenever  Christians  get  the  id  > 
that  thf  work  will  go  on  without  their  aid. 


246  The  Methodist  Armor. 

5.  When  Christians  get  proud  of  their  great  revival, 
it  will  cease. 

6.  It  will  stop,  when  the  Church  gets  exhausted  by 
labor. 

7.  When  the  Church  begins  to  speculate  about  ab 
stract  doctrines. 

8.  When  Christians  begin  to  proselyte. 

9.  When  Christians  refuse  to  render  unto  the  Lord 
according  to  the  benefits  received. 

10.  When  Christians  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  by  ceas- 
ing to  depend  upon  it. 

11.  When  Christians  lose  the  spirit  of  brotherly 
love. 

12.  A  revival  will  decline  and  cease  unless  Chris- 
tians are  frequently  reconverted. 

13.  It  will  cease  when  the  Church  ceases  to  de- 
nounce and  oppose  public  evils. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

METHODISM  AND  MISSIONS. 

I.  The  Genius  of  Methodism  is  Missionary. 
"  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  most  thoroughly 
committed  to  the  cause  of  Christian  missions.  Begot- 
ten herself  of  a  most  important  missionary  enterprise, 
born  and  nurtured  in  the  spirit  of  an  intense  evangel- 
ism, her  course  for  the  century  has  been  one  of  un- 
ceasing evangelistic  aggression.  The  records  of  her 
earliest  history  bear  testimony  to  the  self-sacrificing 
zeal  of  her  preachers  in  pushing  themselves  out  to 
the  very  borders  of  civilization,  keeping  themselves 
quite  abreast  of  the  most  advanced  tide  of  popula- 
tion as  it  flowed  onward,  sharing  joyfully  the  hard- 


Methodism  and  Missions.  247 

sliips  of  the  pioneer  people,  if  by  all  means  they 
might  save  some,  and  plant  among  them  the  institu- 
tions of  the  gospel.  The  missionary  work  thus  begun 
and  carried  forward,  under  the  personal  supervision  of 
Bishop  Asbury,  soon  grew  to  such  proportions  as  to 
suggest,  and  indeed  to  require,  a  special  and  formal 
organization  for  this  sort  of  Church  work;  and  so, 
following  the  clearest  dictates  of  duty,  the  Mission- 
ary Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was 
formed.  This  Society,  in  the  scope  of  its  spirit  and 
purpose,  proposes  to  be  nothing  more,  and  surely  it 
ought  to  be  nothing  less,  than  the  whole  Church  in 
missionary  action.  Since  its  organization  the  Church, 
through  her  missionary  operations,  has  spread  herself 
all  over  this  land,  and,  overleaping  its  limits,  has  gone 
to  Mexico,  to  South  America,  to  Africa,  to  Europe,  to 
Asia;  and  to-day  her  mission-fields  girdle  the  globe, 
and  her  morning  doxologies  to  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  keep  pace  with  the  hours  and  the  journeys  of 
the  sun." 

II.  Facts  that  Should  Stir  our  Missionary  Zeal 
and  Fire  Our  Hearts  in  the  Great  Work. 

1.  "  The  first  fact  that  confronts  us  in  connection 
with  this  theme  is,  Christianity  is  in  the  minority.  After 
eighteen  centuries  of  evangelizing,  it  is  outvoted  by 
heathenism  almost  three  to  one.  There  are  vast  regions 
yet  untouched  by  the  gospel  plowshare.  On  this  conti- 
nent, where  we  boast  the  best  civilization,  away  to  the 
north,  natives  sit  in  their  ice  caves  wrapped  in  furs 
and  feeding  on  oil,  into  whose  huts  not  one  ray  from 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  has  penetrated.  A  few  vil- 
lages have  been  turned  into  mission-stations,  but  the 
great  tribes  are  uncalled:     Swing  down  through  the 


2-18  The  MetJwdist  Armor. 

north-west  belt,  and  through  the  great  valley,  and  by 
the  coast— the  mass  of  the  people  are  in  deep  pagan- 
ism. The  painted  warrior  follows  the  bloody  trail, 
and  measures  his  greatness  by  the  number  of  his 
scalps.  Drop  down  through  the  vast  regions  of  the 
gulf,  cross  the  isthmus,  plunge  on  into  the  kingdoms 
and  republics  of  South  America,  and  over  this  great 
stretch  you  find  a  kind  of  religion  that  has  lost  out  of 
it  every  thing  but  its  heathenism,  and  that  now  stands 
as  the  mortal  enemy  of  civilization  and  a  bar  against 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  What  do  we  find  in  Africa? 
Here  and  there  a  mission-house,  now  and  then  a 
weary  evangelist;  but  the  millions  sit  in  a  darkness 
by  which  their  own  complexion  pales.  .  Pass  over 
into  Asia,  crowd  through  the  millions  that  follow  the 
False  Prophet,  ascend  the  Ural  Mountains,  look  down 
upon  half  the  human  race  in  idolatry  and  lust;  then 
you  will  understand  that  the  work  is  not  all  done." 

2.  "Another  fact  arresting  attention  is  this,  there 
is  universal  need  of  salvation.  The  heathen,  like  our- 
selves, need  to  be  saved.  They  are  lost,  and  need  a 
Saviour.  We  are  wont  to  look  at  the  physical  condi- 
tion of  the  heathen,  and  to  exhaust  our  sympathies 
over  their  low-grade  comforts.  This  state  is  bad 
enough  to  stir  every  heart.  Think  of  a  land  like  Chi- 
na,, where  there  has  not  been  a  bridge  or  a  road  made 
for  twenty  centuries,  where  there  is  not  a  spring  wag- 
on, nor  a  mile  of  railroad,  nor  a  yard  of  telegraph  in 
the  whole  empire!  think  of  this  people  living  in  their 
cilies  with  the  streets  six  feet  wide  and  the  avenues 
twelve!  The  sewer  in  the  streets  is  piled  up  against 
the  one-story  buildings  (they  have  no  other,  except 
the  government  buildings),  on  one  side  of  the  street, 


Methodism  and  Missions.  249 

fco  the  very  eaves;  in  the  avenues  it  is  ricked  up  in  the 
middle  of  the  street  ten  or  twelve  feet  high.  This 
rick  is  the  accumulated  filth  of  ten  or  fifteen  centu- 
ries. At  night  they  water  their  streets  with  the  filthy 
water  from  their  filthy  homes.  The  stench  is  beyond 
description.  A  glue-factory  would  be  a  deodorizer 
in  a  heathen  city.  The  terrors  and  torments  of 
their  minds  far  exceed  the  perils  or  exposures  of 
their  bodies.  They  are  plagued  by  superstitions,  and 
robbed  by  priests,  and  murdered  by  magistrates,  and 
enslaved  by  rulers.  In  China  they  have  vast,  health- 
ful, productive  regions  almost  unoccupied,  while  the 
people  swarm  in  about  the  ancient  centers,  not  dar- 
ing to  move  away  lest  they  offend  the  spirits  of  their 
ancestors.  They  have  great  deposits  of  coal  and 
mines  of  the  precious  metals,  but  they  dare  not  touch 
them  lest  they  offend  the  spirits  of  the  mighty  dead. 
This  fear  has  filled  China  with  portions  of  stone  walls, 
from  the  Great  Wall  of  the  empire  to  the  fragments 
just  long  enough  to  enable  a  man  to  cower  behind 
them.  These  walls  are  theological,  not  political  or 
military.  The  people  believe  that  the  spirits  of  the 
dead  are  blind,  and  that  when  enraged  they  dash  at  a 
mortal ;  if  he  can  hide  behind  a  wall,  the  spirit  dashes 
its  head  against  the  wall  and  falls  down  senseless; 
when  it  recovers,  it  has  forgotten  its  wrath.  Thus 
China  is  filled  with  walls,  and  the  people  are  pursued 
and  tormented  with  perpetual  fears.  In  India  their 
case  is  no  better.  Their  cruel  deities  demand  blood 
as  the  price  of  peace.  Infants  and  women  and  self- 
sentenced  men  are  sacrificed.  The  natural  affections 
of  the  heart  are  perverted." 

3.  "The  great  lair  of  Divine  action  makes  human  in. 


250  The  Methodist  Armor. 

strumentality  a  necessary  part  of  the  redemptive  plan. 
He  works  with  us,  not  without  us.  I  cannot  say  what 
God  could  have  done;  I  do  not  know,  but  I  can  tell 
some  of  the  things  he  has  done.  He  has  ordained 
human  agency  as  the  way  of  carrying  forward  his 
work.  He  never  advances  an  inch  without  our  coop- 
eration. This  is  a  universal  law.  All  results  in  soci- 
ety and  life  require  both  human  and  divine  factors. 
God  loves  us  infinitely.  I  cannot  think  of  him  as  out 
of  love.  He  seeks  necessarily,  all  the  time,  by  all  pos- 
sible means,  to  bring  men  out  of  their  sins.  Any  let- 
ting up,  even  for  a  moment,  would  come  short  of  the 
dictates  of  infinite  love.  The  remitted  effort  might 
have  achieved  success  and  salvation.  If  God  could 
have  his  way,  every  poor  sinner  on  earth  would  be 
saved  before  to-morrow's  sun  shall  rise.  If  God  could 
have  his  way,  every  prison-pen  in  the  universe  would 
be  thrown  open,  and  every  sorrowing  sinner  would  be 
loved  up  into  purity  and  peace.  But  in  the  way  of 
these  results  stand  the  order  of  human  agencies  and 
the  power  of  the  human  will.  Thus  God  waits  upon  our 
slow  mo\ement.  He  is  estopped  from  remitting  his 
experiments  with  remedial  agencies  by  the  love  that 
caused  our  creation,  and  he  is  estopped  from  the  use 
of  his  omnipotence  by  the  freedom  he  has  vouchsafed 
to  every  moral  agent.  Thus  the  world's  salvation 
awaits  our  action. 

"The  salvation  of  the  world  is  now  reduced  to  a 
question  of  money.  If  Christian  people  will  so  wind 
the  parchment  of  their  creed  about  the  cross  as  to 
make  a  divine  dollar-mark  ($),  God's  kingdom  will  be 
upon  us  in  the  next  decade.  Talk  about  ability !  We 
have  money  enough,  if  we  only  had  availability.     The 


Methodism  and  Missions.  251 

interest  on  what  we  spent  in  our  war  would  put  a  mis- 
sionary in  the  field  for  every  eight  hundred  heathen, 
and  this  interest  would  keep  them  there  forever.  God 
lacks  no  love;  Christ  has  died;  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
been  shed  forth  upon  us.  All  lands  are  open,  all  peo- 
ples are  inviting,  all  languages  are  mastered.  The 
Church  has  all  necessary  experience  of  personal  par- 
don and  free  grace.  The  old  errors  of  fatalism  are 
sifted  out  of  the  faith  of  the  Church;  the  gospel  is 
restored  to  its  early  purity;  all  things  are  now  ready. 
Over  the  gate  of  the  future  it  blazes  the  dollar-mark, 
while  God  says,  '  By  this  conquer.' 

"  Brothers,  until  our  treasure  consecrated,  the  icorld  is 
our  easy  prize.  I  want  to  see  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
earth  given  to  our  God,  and  to  his  Christ;  and  I  expect 
to  see  it  done  in  my  day,  if  I  am  permitted  to  work  as 
long  in  the  vineyard  as  I  desire  to.  If  the  Methodist 
Church  would  take  hold  of  this  with  the  old  battle- 
cry,  '  No  matter  what  it  costs  in  men  and  money,  this 
must  be  done! '  the  world  would  be  startled  from  the 
sleep  of  the  age,  and  nations  would  be  born  in  a  day," 

III.  Statistics — General  Creeds  of  the  World. 
The  population  of  the  world  is  religiously  distrib- 
uted in  the  following  proportions: 

Professors  of  Christianity 418,000,000 

Buddhism 400,000,000 

Mohammedanism 215,000,000 

Bralmumism 175,000,000 

Judaism 7,000,000 

All  other  forms  of  religious  belief 174,000,000 

The  results  of  missionary  labors  among  all  th* 
Churches: 


252  The  Methodist  Armor. 


Communicants. 

India 87,854 

China 16,237 

( Vylon 7,490 

Uurmah 20,811 

Persia 1,221 

Japan '. 2,006 

Sumatra, 2,420 

Turkish  Empire 9,132 


Communicant!. 

Madagascar 68,317 

West  Africa 25,636 

South  Sea  Islands 55,378 

Sandwich  Islands 14,976 

Australia  and  N.  Zealand     2,512 

American  Indians 17,142 

The  New  Hehrides 1,820 

South  Africa 57,840 


The  above  figures  were  taken  from  Bishop  Hurst's 
"  Outline  of  Church  History." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

METHODISM  AND  EDUCATION. 

Methodism  has  not  neglected  the  important  work 
of  educating  her  followers.  The  charge  that  the 
Methodist  Church  was  founded  in  ignorance,  that 
uncultivated  people  only  joined  her  Communion,  that 
illiterate  ministers  preached  in  her  pulpits,  has  no 
foundation  in  truth. 

John  Wesley,  her  founder,  was  educated  at  one  of 
the  most  famous  institutions  of  learning  known  in 
the  world.  He  was  a  man  of  superior  mental  culture. 
Charles  Wesley,  whose  heaven-inspired  hymns  are 
sang  in  all  the  Churches;  John  Fletcher,  whose 
ponderous  battle-ax  of  logic  well-nigh  demolished 
the  iron  system  of  Calvinism;  Adam  Clarke,  who 
was  called  a  walking  encyclopedia;  Richard  Watson, 
whose  intellectual  greatness  is  seen  in  his  "Theo- 
logical Institutes,"  are  all  shining  monuments  of 
educated  mind.  In  America,  the  Methodist  Church 
can  show  as  many  well-cultured  intellects  as  any 
other  denomination.     Mr.  Wesley  early  began  to  or- 


Methodism  and  Education.  253 

ganize  schools  among  his  people.  These  schools 
have  expanded  and  multiplied  into  colleges,  theo- 
logical schools,  and  academic  institutions  of  every 
grade.  Every  Methodist  body  in  England  and  Amer- 
ica recoguizes  the  duty  of  providing  schools  for  the 
education  of  the  people.  "Edward  Everett,  in  his 
day,  said  that  there  was  no  Church  in  the  United 
States  so  successfully  engaged  in  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation as  the  Methodist  Church."  The  Methodist 
Church,  North,  "  can  point  to  her  twenty-seven  col- 
leges and  theological  seminaries  erected  and  endowed 
at  a  cost  of  three  million  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars; her  eighty-four  academies,  seminaries,  and  fe- 
male colleges,  with  her  regiment  of  eight  hundred 
professors  and  teachers,  and  her  army  corps  of  twen- 
ty-five thousand  five  hundred  students,  marching  up 
the  highway  of  intelligence  and  virtue,  and  erelong 
to  occupy  the  posts  of  influence  and  power." 

The  Southern  Methodist  Almanac  says:  "The  in- 
terests of  education  have  been  greatly  promoted  of 
late  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South.  The 
General  Conference  of  1878  was  not  able  to  present  a 
complete  list  of  the  institutions  of  learning  under  the 
care  of  the  Church;  but  in  the  Journal  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  is  published  a  tabular  statement  of 
ninety-five  institutions— with  their  grade,  location, 
when  founded,  by  whom  chartered,  names  of  presi- 
dents, number  and  names  of  instructors,  number  of 
students,  value  of  property,  volumes  in  library,  en 
dowment,  and  times  of  commencement.  The  Con- 
ference resolved  'that  we  recognize  the  hand  of  a 
gracious  Providence  in  the  magnificent  gift  which 
established  and  endowed  Vanderbilt  University,  and 


254  The  Methodist  Armor. 

rejoice  to  hear  that  it  has  already  entered  upon  its 
field  of  extensive  and  rapidly  increasing  usefulness.' " 

Geneeal  Educational  Statistics. 
Number  of  instructors  and  students  in  universities 
and  colleges  of  the  United  States  by  religious  denom- 
inations, as  reported  by  United  States  Commissioner 
of  Education  for  1878: 

Denominations.  Institutions.    Instructors.    Students. 

Koinan  Catholic 49  733  7,851 

Methodist 50  499  8,930 

Baptist 40  299  5,085 

Presbyterian 35  335  5,088 

Congregational 20  239  3,878 

Lutheran 16  127  2,073 

Christian 14  112  2,043 

Protestant  Episcopal 11  127  911 

Eeformed 7  68  764 

United  Brethren 7  46  1,040 

Friends 6  50  780 

Universalist 5  62  394 

Seventh  Day  Advent 1  15  281 

Jewish 1  4  24 

New  Church 1  6  41 

Non-sectarian 78  1,021  16,302 

Not  reporting 10  36  514 

Additional,  but  not  reporting _27           

Grand  total 378  3,759  56,035 

Of  the  351  colleges  and  universities  reported  the 
average  number  of  instructors  for  each  was  10.7,  and 
the  average  number  of  students  was  169.6. 

Most  of  the  number  of  non-sectarian  colleges  and 
universities  were  founded  under  religious  influence, 
and  include  religious  teachers  in  their  board  of  in- 
st  ruction. 

Over  nine-tenths  of  all  the  colleges  and  universi- 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  255 

ties  in  the  United  States  are  under  positive  Chris- 
tian supervision. 

Infidelity  has  not  sustained  a  single  college  or  uni- 
versity in  the  United  States. 

There  is  not  a  single  flourishing  State  university 
not  under  the  supervision  of  religious  instructors. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Acts  of  the  General  Conference  to  1844. 

(Methodist  Year-book.) 

1784.  The  "Methodist  Episcopal  Church"  was 
formally  organized  at  a  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
ministers  called  by  Thomas  Coke,  LL.D.,  an  assist- 
ant of  Mr.  Wesley  in  England,  and  sent  over  by  the 
latter  for  the  purpose  of  consummating  such  organi- 
zation. The  first  Bishops,  Coke  and  Asbury,  were 
elected.  This  Conference  (called  the  "Christmas 
Conference")  met  in  Baltimore,  December  25,  and 
continued  its  session  until  January  2,  1785. 

1787.  A  General  Conference  was  called  at  Balti- 
more in  May,  by  Dr.  Coke,  at  the  request  of  Mr. 
Wesley;  but  as  the  Annual  Conferences  had  not  been 
consulted,  and  hence  had  not  authorized  it,  many  of 
the  ministers  did  not  attend,  and  no  official  record  of 
its  doings  was  preserved.  Some  additions,  however, 
were  made  to  the  Discipline,  and  the  word  "  Bishop  " 
was  substituted  for  "  Superintendent,"  as  applied  to 
Bishops  Coke  and  Asbury.  It  is  believed  also  that 
the  term  "  presiding  elder  "  was  then  first  applied  to 
superintendents  of  districts. 

1789.  In  order  to  supply  a  central  authority  long 


256  The  Methodist  Armor. 

felt  to  be  needed,  the  several  Annual  Conferences 
concurred  in  the  formation  of  a  "  Council,"  to  be 
composed  of  the  Bishops  and  presiding  elders,  who 
should  recommend  such  changes  as  they  should 
unanimously  agree  upon,  but  which,  before  becoming 
binding  upon  the  Church,  should  be  adopted  by  the 
several  Annual  Conferences. . 

1790.  The  "Council,"  referred  to  in  the  preceding 
paragraph,  was  composed  of  the  Bishop  and  of  elders 
elected  from  each  district.  This  had  been  done  in 
order  to  meet  objections  made  to  their  appointment 
to  the  Council  by  the  Bishops.  The  Council,  how- 
ever, being  without  power  except  as  advisory,  was 
unpopular,  and  was  substituted  by  a  General  Confer- 
ence of  the  preachers  of  all  the  Conferences. 

1792.  First  General  Conference,  held  in  Baltimore, 
November  1.  This  Conference  directed  that  the  next 
General  Conference  should  meet  after  an  interval  of 
four  years.  Though  embodying,  as  its  members  be- 
lieved, the  full  ecclesiastical  authority  of  the  Church, 
the  Conference  bound  itself  by  special  enactment  not 
to  change  any  recognized  rule  of  Methodism  except 
by  a  two-thirds  vote.  The  presiding  elder's  term  of 
office  in  any  one  district  was  limited  to  four  years. 
The  Book  Concern  (previously  opened  at  Philadelphia 
by  authority  of  the  "Council")  was  formally  estab- 
lished by  General  Conference  action. 

1796.  Second  General  Conference,  held  in  Balti- 
more, commencing  October  20,  composed  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  members.  Bishop  Asbury  presided 
"Chartered  Fund"  instituted  and  incorporated  by 
Legislature  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Annual  Confer- 
ence boundaries  first  determined  by  General  Confer- 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  257 

ence  action.     Number  then  designated,  six,  but  the 
Bishops  were  authorized  to  add  a  seventh. 

1800.  Third  General  Conference,  held  in  Balti- 
more, May  6-20.  The  previous  one  had  been  held 
in  the  fall,  but  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  yellow  fe- 
ver in  1799,  the  Annual  Conferences  had  authorized 
Bishop  Asbury  to  change  the  time  to  May.  Bichard 
Whatcoat  was  elected  Bishop.  His  competitor  for 
the  office  was  Jesse  Lee.  The  second  ballot  was  a 
tie,  but  on  the  next  Whatcoat  was  elected.  The  Book 
Concern  was  removed  to  New  York.  [John  Dickins, 
the  Book  Agent,  had  died  of  yellow  fever  the  year 
previous.]  Bishop  Asbury,  in  consequence  of  phys- 
ical debility,  sought  to  resign  his  episcopal  office,  but 
was  induced  by  the  earnest  request  of  the  Conference 
to  continue  in  the  office.  The  Bishops  were  author- 
ized to  ordain  colored  preachers.  [Bichard  Allen,  of 
Philadelphia,  was  the  first  colored  preacher  ordained 
under  this  rule.] 

1804.  Fourth  General  Conference,  held  in  Balti- 
more, May  7-23.  Members,  one  hundred  and  seven. 
The  pastoral  term  was  limited  to  two  consecutive 
years  on  any  one  charge.  Previously  there  had  been 
no  limit  to  the  episcopal  prerogative,  except  in  the 
case  of  presiding  elders.  A  motion  to  change  the 
General  Conference  into  a  delegated  body  was  voted 
down,  but  the  matter  was  left  for  the  Bishops  to 
consult  the  Annual  Conferences  during  the  qnadren- 
nium, 

1808.  Fifth  General  Conference,  held  in  Baltimore, 

May  6-26.     Members,  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine. 

William  McKendree  elected  Bishop.     Bishop  Coke 

war,  granted  permission  to  reside  in  England,  but  not 

17 


258  The  Method  id  Armor. 

to  exercise  while  there  his  episcopal  functions.  Del- 
egated General  Conference  first  provided  for,  the 
ratio  of  representation  to  be  one  member  for  each 
five  of  the  traveling  ministers.  The  "^Restrictive 
Bules  "  first  adopted.  No  one  of  these  Eules  was  to 
be  changed  without  the  concurrence  of  a  majority  of 
all  the  members  of  the  Annual  Conferences  (present 
and  voting  at  the  Annual  Conference  sessions)  with 
a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  General  Conference.  This  re- 
quirement continued  until  1828,  when  the  word  "  ma- 
jority" was  substituted  by  the  word  "three-fourths." 
1812.  Sixth  General  Conference,  held  in  New  York 
City,  May  1-22.  This  was  the  first  delegated  Confer- 
ence. Members,  eighty-eight.  Bishop  McKendree 
presented  a  written  Episcopal  Address,  the  first  pre- 
sented to  the  General  Conference.  Local  deacons 
made  eligible  to  elder's  orders.  Ordered  that  stew- 
ards' nominations  be  referred  by  preachers  to  Quar- 
terly Conference  for  confirmation  or  rejection;  preach- 
ers had  hitherto  appointed  the  stewards. 

1816.  Seventh  General  Conference,  held  in  Balti- 
more, May  1-24.  One  hundred  and  three  members. 
Rev.  Messrs.  Black  and  Bennett  were  present  as  fra- 
ternal delegates  from  British  Conference.  "  Course 
of  Study"  for  ministers  provided  for.  Enoch  George 
and  Robert  Bichford  Roberts  elected  Bishops.  Num- 
ber of  Conferences  increased  to  eleven,  and  Bishops 
authorized  to  organize  another.  Monthly  Methodist 
Magazine  Eatio  of  Annual  Conference  representa- 
tion changed  from  "five"  to  "seven." 

1820.  Eighth  General  Conference,  held  at  Balti- 
more, May  1-27.  Members,  eighty-nine.  John  Em- 
ory appointed  delegate  to  British  Conference.     Im- 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  259 

proved  edition  of  Hymn-book  ordered.  Missionary 
Society,  previously  organized  in  New  York  City,  was 
approved.  Bishop  McKendree  was  relieved  from  ef- 
fective labor.  Bishop  Soule  was  elected  Bishop,  but 
declined  to  be  ordained,  and  resigned  the  office  be- 
cause the  Conference  had  adopted,  as  a  compromise 
measure,  a  resolution  authorizing  the  Annual  Con- 
ferences to  elect  presiding  elders.  The  application 
of  the  resolution  was  suspended  for  four  years,  until 
the  question  should  be  submitted  to  the  Annual  Con- 
ferences. 

1824.  Ninth  General  Conference,  held  at  Balti- 
more, May  1-29.  Members,  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-six. Joshua  Soule  and  Elijah  Hedding  elected 
Bishops.  Kevs.  Richard  Beece  and  John  Hannah 
delegates  from  England.  The  Annual  Conferences 
having  voted  against  the  change  of  rule  so  as  to  per- 
mit the  election  of  presiding  elders,  the  provision 
for  such  election,  previously  adopted,  was  declared 
null  and  void. 

1828.  Tenth  General  Conference,  held  at  Pitts- 
burg, May  1-24.  Members,  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-six. Connection  with  the  Canada  Conference 
substantially  dissolved.  William  Capers  elected  del- 
egate to  England. 

1832.  Eleventh  General  Conference,  held  in  Phila- 
delphia, May  1-24.  James  O.  Andrew  and  John 
Emory  elected  Bishops. 

1836.  Twelfth  General  Conference,  held  at  Cincin- 
nati, May  1-27.  Members,  one  hundred  and  flfty- 
eight.  Bishops  Roberts,  Soule,  Hedding,  and  An- 
drew presided  (Bishops  McKendree  and  Emory  had 
died).     Dr.  Wilbur  Fisk  appointed  fraternal  delegate 


260  The  Methodist .  irmor. 

to  British  Conference.  Separate  Bible  Society  dis- 
solved, and  a  resolution  of  cooperation  with  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  adopted.  Liberia  Conference  or- 
ganized. A  "  resident  Corresponding  Secretaryship  " 
established.  Beverly  Waugh,  Wilbur  Fisk,  and 
Thomas  A.  Morris  elected  Bishops.  Dr.  Fisk,  who 
was  absent  in  Europe  at  the  time,  declined  the  office 
in  order  to  remain  at  the  Wesleyan  University,  of 
which  he  was  President.  Authority  given  to  Annual 
Conferences  to  locate  ministers  for  unacceptability. 

1840.  Thirteenth  General  Conference,  held  at  Bal- 
timore, May  1  to  June  3.  Members,  one  hundred  and 
forty-two.  Kev.  Robert  Newton  fraternal  represent- 
ative from  British  Conference.  Bishop  Soule  ap- 
pointed representative  to  British  Conference,  with 
Bev.  Thomas  B.  Sargent  as  traveling  companion. 
Bishop  Hedding  requested  to  attend  Canada  Wesley- 
an Conference.     Sunday-school  Union  reorganized. 

The  Organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South. 

1844.  "The  Plan  of  Separation"  between  the 
Northern  and  Southern  Methodists  was  agreed  upon. 
The  General  Conference  met  in  New  York  on  the 
first  of  May.  The  feelings  on  the  slavery  question 
^uite  stormy.  Bishop  Andrew  having  become  con- 
nected with  slavery  by  marriage,  was  censured  by  a 
resolution  requiring  him  to  "  desist  from  the  exercise 
of  his  office  so  long  as  this  impediment  remains." 
Passed  by  majority  of  110  to  68.  There  being  no 
possibility  of  reconciliation,  "The  Plan  of  Separa- 
tion "  was  adopted  by  a  large  majority. 

1845.  The  Convention  composed  of  delegates  from 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  261 

fourteen  Southern  Conferences,  met  in  Louisville, 
Ky.,  on  the  first  of  May.  It  was  presided  over  by 
Bishops  Soule  and  Andrew.  The  Convention  pro- 
ceeded to  organize  "The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,"  as  an  independent  branch  of  Christ's 
Church.  The  doctrines  of  Arminianism,  the  pecul- 
iar usages  and  Discipline  of  Methodism,  and  eccle 
siastical  polity,  remain  about  the  same  in  both 
Churches. 

1846.  The  first  General  Conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  South,  met  in  Petersburg, 
Va.,  in  May.  William  Capers  and  Robert  Paine 
elected  Bishops.  From  this  time  on  our  General 
Conference  has  met  quadrennially.  The  Northern 
Church  refusing  to  divide  the  property  of  the  Book 
Concern  in  pro  rata  proportion,  a  suit  was  commenced 
in  the  United  States  Court,  which  was  finally  decided 
in  favor  of  the  Church,  South.  The  Court  decided 
that  the  ministers  of  the  South  had  vested  rights  in 
the  profits  of  the  book  establishment,  and  by  this 
decision  the  Church,  South,  held  the  printing  estab- 
lishments of  Richmond,  Charleston,  and  Nashville. 
The  debts  due  from  persons  residing  within  the 
limits  of  the  Southern  Conferences,  and  two  hundred 
and  seventy  thousand  dollars  in  cash,  were  paid  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 

1866.  The  General  Conference  adopted  a  system  of 
lay  delegation,  both  in  the  General  and  Annual  Con- 
ferences. The  probationary  period  of  members  was 
abolished,  and  the  rule  on  class-meetings  made  vol- 
untary instead  of  being  compulsory.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  has  prosecuted  its  work 
vigorously  throughout  its  bounds,  and  its  statistical 


202  The  Methodist  Armor. 

tables  show  a  rapid  and  steady  increase  in  all  the 
departments  of  Church  work. 

Bishops  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  South. 

The  following  admirable  sketches  of  our  living 
Bishops  were  published  in  Harper's  Weekly,  June  3, 
1882: 

Bishop  George  Foster  Pierce,  D.D.,  son  of  the 
late  venerable  and  distinguished  Dr.  Lovick  Pierce,  is 
the  senior  Bishop  in  order  of  election.  He  was  born 
in  Greene  county,  Georgia,  February  3,  1811,  and  re- 
sides near  Sparta  in  that  State.  He  designed  in  his 
youth  to  enter  the  profession  of  law,  but  turned  from 
his  studies,  and  in  his  twentieth  year  was  admitted 
into  the  Georgia  Conference.  Possessed  of  superior 
pulpit  abilities,  as  well  as  scholarly  attainments,  he 
commanded  prominence  in  South  Carolina  and  Geor- 
gia. He  was  prominent  in  the  General  Conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1844,  although  a 
young  man,  in  sustaining  the  Southern  view  of  the 
question  at  issue.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Lou- 
isville Convention  in  1845,  and  of  the  General  Con- 
ference of  the  Church,  South,  in  1846.  In  1848  he  was 
elected  President  of  Emory  College,  and  held  the  po- 
sition until  1854,  when  he  was  elevated  to  the  episco- 
pacy. He  is  still  a  royal  preacher,  but  unable  from 
throat  trouble  to  preach  often.  Very  refined  and 
courtly  in  his  manners,  scholarly,  and  of  aristocratic 
carriage;  tall,  without  being  portly;  gentlemanly  in 
dress;  with  piercing  eyes,  and  a  benign  countenance. 
The  principal  work  from  his  pen  is  entitled  "Incidents 
of  Western  Travel."  He  has  written  much  and  well 
on  education  and  Church  topics  for  the  Church  press. 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  263 

Bishop  Hubbard  Hinde  Kavanaugh,  D.D.,  was 
born  in  Clark  county,  Kentucky,  in  1802,  and  in  his 
boyhood  received  his  first  training  as  a  printer.  Con- 
verted in  his  sixteenth  year,  five  years  afterward  ho 
was  received  into  the  Kentucky  Conference,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present,  fifty-nine  years,  he  has  been 
effective.  Possessing  great  physical  endurance  and 
superior  pulpit  talents,  his  ministry  has  been  one  of 
wonderful  success  both  in  the  pastorate  and  episco- 
pate. He  has  recently  returned  from  California  and 
Oregon,  where  he  spent  a  year,  preaching  with  the 
same  power  as  in  his  younger  years.  In  1854  he  was 
elected  Bishop,  and  was  among  the  first  to  cultivate 
fraternal  feelings  toward  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  His  visit  to  Bound  Lake,  Sea  Cliff,  and 
other  points  in  the  North,  in  the  interest  of  frater- 
nity, was  a  source  of  satisfaction  in  the  wide  domain 
of  Methodism.  Though  eighty  years  of  age,  he  is 
still  an  untiring  and  successful  worker,  not  only  iri 
the  local  Church  work  in  and  near  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, his  residence,  but  in  the  Church  generally. 
He  gives  but  little  evidence  of  his  great  age.  He  has 
a  heavy  suit  of  black  hair,  silvered  a  little  with  gray; 
is  stalwart  in  frame,  with  a  patriarchal  bearing,  full 
habit,  small,  piercing  eyes,  and  pleasant  countenance. 

Bishop  Holland  Nimmons  McTyeire,  D.D.,  was 
born  in  Barnwell  county,  South  Carolina,  July  28, 
1824,  and  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Virginia  Con- 
ference in  1845;  but  his  fine  talents  brought  early 
promotion,  and  he  was  transferred  to  the  extreme 
South,  and  filled  important  appointments  in  Mobile 
and  New  Orleans.  While  in  the  latter  city,  the  New 
Orleans  Christian  Advocate  was  started  by  a  committer 


2U4  The  Methodist  Armor. 

in  1851 — Eev.  H.  N.  McTyeire,  editor — and  brought 
out  the  first  number  February  10.  At  the  General 
Conference  in  1854  the  paper  was  received  by  that 
body  as  one  of  the  official  Church  organs,  and  Dr. 
McTyeire  was  elected  editor,  thus  making  seven  years 
at  that  post.  In  1858  he  w«s  elected  editor  of  tho 
Christian  Advocate  of  Nashville,  Tenn.  In  1866  Dr. 
McTyeire  was  elected  Bishop,  and  has  always  been 
devoted  and  prominent  in  that  position.  He  received 
the  title  of  D.D.  from  Emory  College,  Georgia,  and 
La  Grange  College  and  other  institutions  have  since 
honored  him  similarly.  He  was  chiefly  instrumental 
in  securing  the  gift  of  one  million  dollars  from  the 
late  Cornelius  Yanderbilt,  to  found  Yanderbilt  Uni- 
versity, and  the  subsequent  munificent  gifts  from  Mr. 
W.  H.  Yanderbilt.  Commodore  Cornelius  Yander- 
bilt placed  it  in  his  hands  as  President  of  the  Trust, 
with  an  elegant  and  permanent  residence  upon  the 
spacious  grounds.  The  Bishop's  wife  is  a  cousin  of 
Mr:  Vanderbilt's  widow.  He  is  naturally  a  leader, 
quick  in  his  movements,  firm  and  judicious.  He  pos- 
sesses much  of  the  hauteur  of  Bishop  Soule,  without 
his  Andrew  Jackson  stern  manners.  He  is  the  author 
of  the  "  Manual  of  the  Discipline,"  and  "  The  Duties 
of  Masters; "  "  Catechism  on  Bible  History,"  prepared 
for  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Amer- 
ica, but  used  extensively  by  the  Church,  South;  also 
"  Catechism  on  Church  Government,"  which  is  now  in 
the  Course  of  Study  for  young  ministers.  Bishop  Mc- 
Tyeire was  Yice-president  of  the  Western  Section  of 
American  Methodism  of  the  Ecumenical  Conference, 
and  made  one  of  the  speeches  of  welcome  at  City  lload 
Chapel,  London,  September,  1881.     In  person  he  is 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  265 

always  courtly  -  looking,  with  bright  eyes  and  dark 
complexion;  he  has  a  tall  and  well-knit  frame,  with- 
out being  stout. 

Bishop  John  Christian  Keener,  D.D.,  the  youngest 
i  a  the  order  of  election,  is  a  native  of  Baltimore,  Mary 
land,  born  February  7,  1819.  Through  the  influence 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Wilbur  Fisk,  who  was  visiting  his  father, 
the  widely-known  late  Christian  Keener,  he  spent 
three  years  at  Wilbraham  Academy,  Massachusetts, 
under  his  care;  and  when  Dr.  Fisk  became  President 
of  Wesleyan  University,  Middletown,  Connecticut,  he 
became  a  member  of  the  first  class,  and  graduated  in 
1835.  Shortly  after  his  graduation  he  was  converted, 
and  entered  mercantile  life,  but,  abandoning  his  bright 
secular  prospects,  he  went  South  and  entered  the  min- 
istry, and  was  admitted  into  the  Alabama  Conference 
in  1843.  In  a  few  years  he  was  sent  to  New  Orleans, 
then  especially  a  post  of  danger,  and  yet  of  honor  be- 
cause of  its  importance.  He  spent  a  score  of  years 
in  the  pastorate  of  chief  churches  and  presiding  eld- 
ership. In  1866  he  was  elected  editor  of  the  New  Or- 
leans Christian  Advocate,  and  in  1870  was  elevated  to 
the  episcopacy.  Bishop  Keener  is  known,  but  not 
published,  as  author  of  the  "Post -oak  Circuit," 
written  as  a  prize  essay  on  the  support  of  the  minis- 
try, which  appeared  in  1855,  and  has  gone  beyond 
the  twelfth  edition,  and  is  still  going;  it  is  humorous, 
pathetic,  and  argumentative  by  turns,  and  has  done 
much  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the  ministry.  In  per 
son  Bishop  Keener  is  large  and  measurably  stalwart, 
with  a  genial  countenance.  He  is  a  pulpit  orator  of 
the  magnetic  type.  He  has  been  largely  identified 
with  the  Mexican  mission-work  of  the  Church. 


206  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Five  new  Bishops  were  elected  by  the  General  Con- 
ference of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
lately  in  session  at  Nashville,  Tennessee.  Of  this 
number,  one,  the  Bev.  Dr.  Haygood,  declined  to  be 
ordained.  The  College  of  Bishops  is,  therefore,  at 
present  nine  in  number. 

Bishop  Alpheus  Waters  Wilson,  D.D.,  is  the  son 
of  the  late  Rev.  Norval  Wilson,  a  prominent  ministei 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  widely  known 
in  Maryland  and  Virginia.  He  was  born  in  Balti- 
more, Maryland,  in  1834,  converted  in  early  life,  and 
was  educated  at  Columbia  College,  Washington  City, 
and  afterward  studied  with  the  intention  of  practic- 
ing medicine,  but  abandoned  the  idea,  and  entered  the 
ministry  in  the  Baltimore  Conference  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church  in  1853.  He  soon  took  high 
rank,  and  commanded  some  of  the  best  appointments 
in  Baltimore  and  elsewhere.  His  health  failed,  and 
he  read  and  practiced  law;  and  when  restored,  he  re- 
entered the  active  ministry.  He  was  identified  with 
the  Baltimore  Conference  organized  in  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  South,  and  became  prominent 
in  that  body,  and  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  first 
General  Conference  thereafter,  and  has  been  reelect- 
ed three  times  to  this  highest  court,  which  meets 
quadrennially.  He  was  at  this  time  honored  with 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  At  the  Genera 
Conference  held  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  in  1878,  he  was 
elected  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  which, 
through  his  thorough  canvass  of  the  churches  and  fer- 
vid appeals,  has  resulted  in  large  contributions  to  the 
cause,  and  the  enlargement  of-  the  foreign  mission 
work.     His  able  pulpit  and  platform  ministrations  in 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference  267 

behalf  of  this  cause,  and  rare  executive  abilities,  have 
Jed  to  his  elevation  to  the  higher  work  of  the  episco- 
pacy. He  was  a  delegate  to  the  great  Ecumenical 
Conference  at  London,  England,  in  September,  1881, 
and  read  an  able  paper  on  "The  Influence  of  Method- 
ism on  Other  Denominations."  He  is  the  author  of  a 
new  work  (just  issued)  on  "  Missions,"  which  is  highly- 
spoken  of.  He  has  the  elements  of  a  leader,  and  will 
make  his  impression  in  the  councils  of  the  Church  and 
in  shaping  her  aggressive  movements.  He  is  of  almost 
medium  height,  compactly  built  without  being  fleshy, 
and  with  admirable  poise — a  vigorous  mind  in  a  vigor- 
ous body;  his  face  is  heavily  bearded;  he  is  sociable, 
yet  dignified,  and  neat  in  person.  He  was  the  only 
one  elected  Bishop  on  the  first  ballot. 

Bishop  Linus  Paekee,  D.D.,  is  a  native  of  Rome, 
New  York,  born  in  1829,  but  removed  to  New  Or- 
leans, Louisiana,  in  his  boyhood.  While  engaged  as  a 
clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store,  he  supplemented  a  meager 
education  by  rising  in  the  mornings  at  four  o'clock  to 
study  Latin  and  Greek  before  entering  upon  the  duties 
of  business.  Converted  young,  he  entered  the  minis- 
try in  the  Louisiana  Conference  in  his  twenty-first 
year  (1849),  and  after  spending  four  years  at  two  ap- 
pointments in  that  State,  he  was  sent  to  New  Orleans, 
where  he  has  labored  ever  since  as  pastor,  presiding  eld- 
er, and  editor.  A  considerable  portion  of  the  past  quar- 
ter of  a  century  he  has  been  presiding  elder,  and  editor 
of  the  New  Orleans  Christian  Advocate,  successor  to  Bish- 
ops McTyeire  and  Keener  in  the  editorship  of  that 
paper.  He  was  honored  by  Centenary  College  with 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  The  Advocate  un- 
der his  editorship  has  risen  to  Connectional  fame;  hi? 


268  The  Methodist  Armor. 

polished  editorials  have  won  hirn  journalistic  renown 
among  cultivated  people  outside  of  the  pale  of  the 
Church.  He  has  been  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  five  times,  the  first  in  1858,  when  he 
was  quite  young  in  the  ministry.  As  a  writer  he  is 
clear,  smooth,  and  forcible;  as  a  preacher,  he  is  ele- 
gant and  profound,  and  remarkable  for  bringing  out 
the  hidden  meaning  of  difficult  texts;  he  is  regarded 
in  the  front  rank  of  preachers  in  the  South.  By  his 
culture  and  scholarly  attainments,  deep  piety,  sound 
judgment,  modest  demeanor,  meekness  of  spirit,  ami- 
ability and  simplicity  of  manners,  he  has  won  great 
popularity  among  people  and  preachers.  He  is  regard- 
ed as  eminently  fitted  to  fill  any  position  in  the  gift 
of  the  Church.  A  man  of  fine  presence,  tall  and  large 
frame,  well  filled  without  being  unduly  stout;  rather 
tawny  skinned,  with  black,  piercing  eyes,  and  dig- 
nified and  courtly  manners — the  picture  of  vigorous 
health.  He  was  elected  Bishop  on  the  second  ballot, 
and  ranks  second  in  the  order  of  election. 

Bishop  John  Coopee  Granbeey,  D.D.,  the  scholarly 
Professor  in  Yanderbilt  University,  is  a  native  of  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  born  December  5,  1829.  He  was  noted  in 
his  boyhood  and  youth  for  his  exemplary  character, 
and  in  his  fifteenth  year  was  converted.  He  entered 
Kandolph-Macon  College,  and  graduated  with  the  first 
honor  in  1848.  The  same  year  (his  twentieth)  he  was 
received  on  trial  in  the  Virginia  Conference,  and  has 
been  identified  with  that  body  ever  since.  He  soon 
rose  to  be  one  of  the  foremost  ministers  in  that  body, 
and  commanded  appointments  to  churches  at  Wash- 
ington City,  Bichmond,  and  Petersburg.  He  was  also 
chaplain  of  both  Bandolph-Macon  College  and  the 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference  269 

University  of  Virginia,  the  former  honoring  him  with 
M.A.  and  D.D.  When  the  war  began,  he  entered  the 
Confederate  Army  as  a  chaplain,  and  continued  to 
serve  the  army  until  the  close  of  the  struggle — a  serv- 
ice in  which  he  fearlessly  discharged  his  duties,  and 
was  severely  wounded  in  the  temple,  which  injured 
the  sight  of  one  eye,  and  he  was  taken  prisoner.  He 
held  for  a  time  the  position  of  superintendent  of 
chaplains  from  the  Virginia  Conference.  In  1875  he 
was  elected  Professor  in  the  Theological  Department 
of  Vanderbilt  University,  which  position  he  has 
adorned,  and  if  he  had  not  been  elected  to  the  epis- 
copacy, he  would  have  been  chosen  Dean,  to  fill  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Summers,  because 
of  his  varied  talents  and  scholarly  culture.  He  is  the 
author  of  a  "Bible  Dictionary,"  and  has  written  much 
and  well  for  the  Church  press.  He  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  four  General  Conferences,  and  though  honored 
so  often,  he  rarely  speaks,  but  has  the  reputation 
of  being  an  elegant,  chaste,  scholarly,  and  eloquent 
preacher.  He  possesses  a  clear,  analytical  mind  of  a 
judicial  cast,  and  is  an  able  theologian.  He  is  a  man 
of  the  purest  character,  humble  in  his  walk,  retiring, 
sweet-spirited.  He  is  of  medium  height,  with  high 
forehead;  good  habit  without  being  stout;  well  beard- 
ed; eyes  shaded  with  glasses.  He  was  elected  on  the 
second  ballot,  and  is  fourth  in  the  order  of  election. 

Bishop  BoBEKT  Kennon  Hargrove,  D.D.,  very  un- 
expectedly was  elected,  as  he  was  not  a  member  of  the 
General  Conference,  which  is  the  only  instance  except 
one  in  the  history  of  the  Church.  At  the  first  ballot 
he  developed  strength,  and  at  the  second  he  only  lacked 
two  votes  of  an  election.     There   being  only  one  h1 


270  The  Methodist  Armor. 

elect,  lie  was  chosen  by  an  overwhelming  majority 
He  was  born  in  Pickens  county,  Alabama,  September 
17,  1829.  Converted  when  but  eleven  years  old,  he 
soon  after  became  a  student  in  the  University  of  Ala- 
bama, and  graduated  with  honor.  He  was  admitted 
on  trial  into  the  Alabama  Conference  in  1857,  and 
was  sent  to  some  of  the  best  appointments  at  Mobile, 
Summerfield,  and  Greensboro,  Alabama.  He  was 
transferred,  and  appointed  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  and 
thence  to  the  Tennessee  Conference,  and  was  appoint- 
ed pastor  of  the  McKendree  Church,  the  seat  of  this 
General  Conference,  and  also  presiding  elder  of  the 
Nashville  and  Franklin  districts.  At  the  time  of  his 
election  he  was  presiding  elder  of  the  Clarksville 
District.  For  some  time  he  was  adjunct  professor 
in  the  University  of  Alabama,  which  had  honored  him 
with  A.B.  and  A.M.  Emory  College  gave  him  D.D. 
Then  he  was  elected  President  of  the  Centenary  In- 
stitute, and  afterward  became  President  of  the  Nash- 
ville Female  College.  He  was  one  of  the  famous  Cape 
May  Commissioners  who  drew  up  a  compact  between 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  to  regulate  certain  disputed 
Church  questions,  which  has  given  him  fame  in  Amer- 
ican Methodism.  His  name  had  been  prominently 
mentioned  in  regard  to  certain  Connectional  offices, 
had  he  not  been  elected  to  the  episcopacy.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  three  General  Conferences  pre- 
vious to  this  one,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Book 
Committee  and  Board  of  Missions  the  past  four  years. 
He  is  a  man  of  broad  culture  and  progressive  views, 
and,  though  not  widely  known  in  authorship,  is  a  fine 
writer.     He  is  regarded  as  a  strong  preacher  and  an 


Acts  of  the  Gi  neral  Conference.  271 

able  theologian.  It  is  believed  that  he  has  all  the 
elements  of  character  to  make  a  successful  and  useful 
Bishop.  He  is  of  good  height,  large  frame  well  filled, 
pleasant  countenance,  with  slight  beard,  quite  gray 
hair  for  his  years,  very  genial,  and  courtly  in  appear- 
ance. 

Deceased  Bishops  of  the  M.  E.  Chuech,  South. 

Bishop  Joshua  Soule,  D.D.,  was  born  in  Maine, 
1781;  elected  Bishop,  1821;  died  in  Tennessee,  1867. 
A  grand  man,  whose  sermons  were  distinguished  for 
great  breadth  of  view  and  majesty  of  style,  oftentimes 
bearing  down  upon  the  audience  like  an  irresistible 
storm.  With  a  masterly  hand  he  scattered  the  vital 
seeds  of  the  gospel  from  Maine  to  Texas,  sowing  be- 
side all  waters. 

Bishop  James  O.  Andrew,  D.D.,  born  in  Georgia, 
1794;  entered  the  South  Carolina  Conference,  1812; 
elected  Bishop,  1832;  died  in  Mobile,  Ala.,  March  2, 
1871.  "As  a  man  he  was  spotless  in  reputation,  so- 
cial and  genial  in  intercourse,  and  as  a  preacher  he 
was  earnest,  strong,  and  useful,  grasping  his  subject 
firmly,  and  often  presenting  his  thoughts  with  pecul- 
iar force  and  effect." — Bishop  Paine. 

Bishop  William  Capers,  D.D.,  born  in  South  Car- 
olina, 1790;  elected  Bishop,  1846;  died  in  South  Car- 
olina, 1855.  "  He  was  one  of  the  master  spirits  of  the 
second  generation  of  Southern  Methodists;  a  worthy 
successor  of  Asbury,  Hull,  Humphreys,  and  Daugh- 
erty;  intrepid,  whole-hearted,  well  poised,  strong  ii: 
influence  that  had  been  nobly  won  by  great  labors.  A 
very  special  fluency  in  utterance,  ease  of  movement, 
refinement  and  elegance  of  manner,  and  a  chaste  and 


272  The  Methodist  Armor. 

finished  delivery,  characterized  his  preaching." — Bish- 
op Wightman. 

Bishop  Henry  B.  Bascom,  D.D.,  born  in  New  York, 
1796;  joined  the  Ohio  Conference,  1813;  elected  Bish- 
op, 1850;  and  died  in  September  of  the  same  year. 
He  presided  over  only  one  Conference  before  he  died. 
He  rose  from  an  obscure  birth,  and  "  attained  to  an 
eminence  never  before  reached  by  any  preacher  in 
America,  and  was  regarded  as  the  first  pulpit  orator 
of  the  world."  In  personal  appearance  he  was  a  Dan- 
iel Webster,  in  magnificence  of  oratory  a  Cicero,  in 
learning  a  walking  cyclopedia. 

Bishop  John  Early,  D.D.,  born  in  Virginia,  1786; 
entered  the  ministry,  1807;  elected  Bishop,  1854;  died 
in  Virginia,  November,  1873.  He  was  a  man  famous 
for  business  tact,  for  stirring  energy,  and  fruitful 
work.  For  over  half  a  century  he  served  his  Church 
with  great  fidelity. 

Bishop  W.  M.  Wightman,  D.D.,  born  in  South 
Carolina,  1808;  joined  the  Conference  of  South  Car- 
olina, 1828 ;  elected  Bishop,  1854.  Bishop  Wightman 
was  one  of  the  most  scholarly  men  in  the  Southern 
Methodist  Church.  He  was  a  most  excellent  writer, 
a  magnificent  preacher,  and  a  fine  presiding  officer. 
He  died  February  15,  1882. 

Bishop  Enoch  M.  Marvin,  D.D.,  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri ;  born,  1823 ;  entered  the  Conference  of  Missouri, 
1841;  elected  Bishop,  1866;  died  in  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
November,  1877.  A  man  of  rare  purity,  richly  gifted 
ab  a  writer,  and  of  extraordinary  power  as  a  preacher. 

Bishop  David  S.  Doggett,  D.D.,  born  in  Virginia, 
1810;  joined  the  Conference  of  Virginia,  1829;  elected 
Bishop,  1866;  died  in  Richmond,  Va.,  1880.  A  polished 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference.  273 

and  scholarly  writer,  and  the  "  golden-mouthed  "  ora- 
tor of  the  Southern  pulpit. 

Bishop  BoBEitT  Paine,  D.D.,  died  October  20,  1882, 
in  his  eighty-third  year.  He  was  born  in  North  Car- 
olina, November  12,  1799,  but  settled  in  his  youth  in 
Tennessee.  In  1818  he  was  admitted  into  the  Tennes- 
see Conference,  and  soon  took  rank,  filling  prominent 
appointments  until  1830,  when  he  was  elected  President 
of  La  Grange  College,  Alabama.  There  he  remained 
seventeen  years,  until  the  first  General  Conference  of 
the  new  Church,  South,  in  1846,  when  he  was  elevated 
to  the  episcopacy.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the 
General  Conferences  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  five  times,  until  the  separation  in  1844  owing 
to  the  action  against  Bishop  Andrew.  He  was  chair- 
man of  the  Committee  of  Nine,  whose  report  forms  a 
memorable  chapter  in  Methodist  history.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Louisville  Convention  in  1845,  and  at 
the  fh  3t  General  Conference  in  1846.  He  was  elected 
Bishop,  and  became  the  colleague  of  Bishops  Soule 
and  Andrew,  formerly  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  His  "  Life  and  Times  of  Bishop  McKendree  " 
has  proved  a  valuable  contribution  to  Methodist  his- 
tory. 
13 


274 


The  Methodist  Armor. 


05  N  N  O  O  IO  ■*  M  5>  lO  lO  N  (O  M  N  t-  »  l.O  OO  OO  lO  N  N 
OONWHHiONOOOOOtOOilHOOOCONCOOtDCC 
O^Gl  TfCOHCO  O^K>  CM  CO^-^CM_O^CM_a5  t^-M  1>^'_l.rH  "cP  rH  r— 

otTcT oo~     r-TccTio' 


CO 
CO 
OO 


U~H 


NO(OiOOOt005-*0050)iOCOiOiOOO)'fOiOOO 

10000>t^(NHTt<LCIT)(05r-INTtHU5MIMOlCni^(NHT)ICO 

<*NiO         NOO)HffltDMM'fHOI>OiO»         CM  .-I  •** 


H 
O 

w 
o 

-J 

Ph 

o 
o 

GO 

W 

GO 

Q 
O 

pel 

W 


0)>*iOMMM^OOit-CON'jlMiOOH<ONii5'<j<00 
-*ONC0OMMOr-ia)C|i0't<O(NNHl0OCC'*NtD 
CO  CO  <M  "Ct^C-  OMM  >-i,CO  <M  00^05  CM^O  "3  t—  O^i-H  CM  00  00_CD 

T)Ti>rc<rr-r     ^i-Tr-T'*~id"«o''co*~co~r-rid~co'~idNio,t~-r     afcM~ao' 

—I  CO  CO  (M  CM         CO  t~  CO 


CO  r-l  CO 


I  H  "^ 


<M  r-l 


C^OOOCCO^WHTf-fOOHOO^ONNHOlM 
COOOH-fiONOSNOOJCOONONOMCOMNNiOQO 

— '  CO  CD  00  (M  CO  CI  Oi 

'io"co~     oo~<mY^ 
CM  CM       nt^o 


)  o  os  -+i  t^  co  OT  co  »o_cm  moo  »— ^co_i-h^co 

rt-^t-Tr-T        o"cTr-Tco'~lO~r-H'co"oo''r-r-*'co"~ld' 
)HM  H  r-l  -Tfi  NH  r-H  CO  CO 


M  H  l^  O  O  Ol  CO  O  CO  O  lO  iO  O  O  00  M  CO  (O  lO  O  H  Ol  M 
OHHOrtr)<MHOfOOiOHCOOCOCOCO  00COCM 
CM  CM  r-l  i— l  r-l  CO  r-l  r-H  CMCMr-lrH  CO  CM  ^t< 


■*  W  N  -I  H  CO  CO      •  UT>  CO 


NQNNN^COO      •OJCON 


w 

Eh 


CO 
O 

EH 

GO 
< 

E-i 
CO 


LO  N  H  O  T|l  lO  CO  CI  N  H  O  O  CO  N  H  C5  N  OS  lO  N  CO  CO  O 
CO  CT>  t~-  CM  CM  CO  00  CM  iO  -*1  t*  ,-H  OS  CM  OO  CO  CO  O  CM  CO  O  O 
r-T.— I  r-l  i— I  r-l  i— I  rH  r-l  r- 1  CM  CM 


«H-3  2 


^    0) 


Jr-i  _a  -s  OU  u  -^ 

jo  _,  o  Ph  B .« 'p 

C     ^2    CD  *3^  "co    to 

"3!  •£  -5    5  Ja  to    3    3 

J           "  .-  O    O    O 


5  -h  .22  S— i 


a,,  jo 

0)  .2 


2 

S-S  '68 

q -§6:2:2 
3  o  3  3 


^    -S    I '     r— .        H        tfj        Q        M    ■"=    .^ 


Acts  of  the  General  Conference. 


275 


t.NiONflOOOLlNOiOtOOOO<OHH(» 
COCOt^OOrtfflOODNONiONOlHfKO 

oq  ce  oq_LO_c3_t^io^^io  i-h_i-h_o_co  co^i— i  co  i— i  co 

i—  .—  t-l  CM  i-H  1-1  <M  Tj< 


-*CO 
CO  <M 

of  co~ 
o  oo 


lO  ■<* 

i-WMHLOMOHIONHCCUJlOOl       •      •      •      • 

•«*  00 

CO 

N  «  ifl  O  M  SO  O  (M  ffl  O  H  'f  O  (O  H      •      •      •      • 

t^  Oi 

t^ 

uOKcoiaoiowoi^te^Hooo)    •    •    •    • 

lO  i-H 

CO 

r-i .-. i-i     mnh     ci     t-     i-i           ;    ;    ;    ; 

CO  CO 

M  3  CO  CI  O  iO  M  ■- IGl<MOlC0-t<-*C2~-t<C0COCO 

00  Ci 

03 

N^fflHC10INNHt»0)ai*MNa)NiO 

rfi  a> 

■* 

I^OH30NMC3T|li001l>NOO)HH!0 

CM  CM 

Oi 

OOOlO^H^CSHOOHONlOOlCO                 CM 

T*<I> 

CO 

COIMM         lOMHH^HtO         i-l          1-1 

o  t- 

OS  00 

CM 

lO  o 
iO  CO 
<M  O 


0)-frtOiOiSONON»NiOWiOHMM 
l^idTHCOI^MiO-*Ot»'f(M-f-1<aiMiHiO 

^cc^t^^uo^^i^t^a^co^io_i>^o_oo_cq^i-i  i— i  io 


O^CM^ 
ao~!-T 
CO  CO 
00  00 


OiUN^^OiOONr-nOMrtOliOH         00 
i-<  CM  CM  i-H  CM  H  CO  i-l  r-l  1-H  1-H 


CM  CI 

OS  CD 
00  00 


CO  OS 
1-H  O 

CO  CO 


CO  CO 

CO  CO 

oo  t- 


£  ^ 


j;  3  /j 


:  -^  "5  * 

,  o  S'sj 

,  y<  y  =H 


3  gSEH 


-  £ 


o.i'i 

*CQ  S  ^ 

.fsSg 

G    N    K 


CO  ( 
00  ( 
CO  < 


8      -P 


i-.   <u  q>   a>  ^c  CJ 


■™  ^  c^  co       eh  3 


276  The  Methodist  Armor. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

GENERAL  SUMMARY  OF  METHODISTS. 

(Methodist  Year-book.) 

The  following  summaries  have  been  compiled  from 
the  latest  official  statistics  reported  by  the  several 
branches  of  the  great  Wesleyan  Methodist  family. 
Those  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  are  to  Jan- 
uary 1, 1883,  and  include  the  official  numerical  returns 
of  the  fall  Conferences  of  1882  and  the  spring  Con- 
ferences of  1883;  those  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  are  for  1882;  those  of  the  Canadian, 
British,  and  affiliating  Conferences  are  for  1883.  In 
two  or  three  of  the  Churches  the  number  of  local 
preachers  is  "estimated,"  but  in  each  of  those  by 
distinguished  members  of  large  observation  in  the 
respective  denominations: 

I.  EPISCOPAL  METHODISTS  IN  UNITED  STATES. 

Itinerant  Local  Lay 

Ministers.  Preachers.  Members. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church 12,654  12,337  1,799,593 

Methodist  Episcopal  Chuivh,  South 3,8Gt  5,892  904,248 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 1,832  9,700  391,044 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church 2,000  2,750  300,000 

Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 1,016  C83  155,000 

Evangelical  Association 953  599  119,758 

Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 112  40  3,500 

United  Brethren 1,257  963  159,547 

Total  Episcopal  Methodists  in  United  States 24,026       33,024      3,832,690 

II.  NON-EPISCOPAL  METHODISTS  IN  UNITED  STATES. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church 1,358  1,010  123,054 

American  Wesleyan  Church 267  215  23,090 

Free  Methodist  Church 263  326  12,719 

Primitive  Methodist  Church 27  162  3,716 

Independent  Methodist  Church .". 25  27  5,000 

Congregational  Methodists 23  20,000 

Total  Non-Epi.-copal  Medio  lists  in  United  States,     1,940         1,703         188,07p 


General  Summary  of  Methodists.  211 

III.  METHODISTS  IN  CANADA. 

Itinerant       Local  Lay 

Ministers.  Preachers.  Members. 

The  Methodist  Church  of  Canada 1,216        1,261  128,644 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Canada 259           255  25,671 

Primitive  Methodist  Church 89           246  8.090 

Bible  Christian  Church - 79           197  ".398 

British  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (colored) 45             20  2,100 

Total  Methodists  in  Canada 1,688         1,979  171,903 

IV.  METHODISTS  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  MISSIONS. 

British  Wesleyan  Methodists  in  Great  Britain 1,917       14,183  441,484 

British  Wesleyan  Methodists  in  Missions 385      70,747 

Primitive  Methodists 1,147       15.982  196,480 

New  Connection  Methodists 188         1,271  29,299 

Wesleyan  Reform  Union 551      8,663 

United  Free  Methodists 391         3,417  84,162 

Bible  Christians  (including  Australia) 228        1,909  28,624 

Total  Methodists  in  Great  Britain  and  Missions...     4,807       36,762  859,411 
V.  WESLEYAN  AFFILIATING  CONFERENCES. 

Irish  Wosleyan  Conference 239      25,050 

French  Wesleyan  Conference 196      2,024 

Australasian  Conferences 449         4,480  69,392 

South  African 167      26,038 


Total  in  Wesleyan  Affiliating  Conferences 1,051         4,480  126,504 

GRAND  TOTAL  OF  MINISTERS  AND  LAY  MEMBERS. 

Methodists  in  Churches  of  United  States 25,966       34,737  4,020,672 

Methodists  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada 1,688         1,979  171,903 

Methodists  in  Great  Britain  and  Missions 4,807       36,762  859,449 

Methodists  in  Affiliating  Conferences 1,051        4,480  126,504 

Grand  total  of  Methodists  and  Missions  in  1883 33,512       77,958      5,178,528 

Note. — Total  Methodist  population  (estimated),  25,472,370. 

Comparative  Statistics — United  States,  1879. 

Denomination*.  Ministers.  Members. 

Methodists .* 23,888  3,506,891 

Baptists 20,292  2,656,221 

Presbyterians 8,301  897,598 

Lutherans 2,976  808,428 

Congregationalists 3,496  375,654 

Protestant  Episcopalians 3,147  321,3t>7 

Universalists 711  37,500 

Notk. — In   the  number  of  Methodist   ministers  here  given  the 
local  Methodist  preachers  are  not  included.     The  number  of  local 


278  The  Methodist  Armor. 

preachers  in  the  United  States  is  25,498.  The  total  number  of 
Methodist  preachers — traveling  and  local — in  the  United  States 
is  48,526. 

Denominational  Statistics  fkom  the  United 
States  Census,  1870. 

n.n.  Min.*:.H.  Con  ere-         Church  Church  Church 

De-jcnnuafons.  ^^        Ediflces.  Sittings.  Property. 

Methodist 25,278  21,837  0,528,209  $09,854,121 

Baptist 15,839  14,032  4,305,135  41,007,198 

Episcopal 2,835  2,001  991,051  30,514,549 

Presbyterian 7,824  0,071  2,097,244  43,305,300 

Lutheran 3,032  2,776  977,332  14,917,747 

Roman  Catholic 4,127  3,800  1,990,514  60,985,500 

Gmgregationalist 2,887  2,715  1,117,212  25,069,098 

The  Pre-eminent  Success  of  Methodism. 

The  Methodists  began  to  preach  in  this  country  in 
1773.  The  Baptists  began  in  1639.  The  Presbyte- 
rians began  in  1703.  The  Congregationalists  in  1648. 
The  Catholics,  Lutherans,  and  Episcopalians  began 
with  the  settlement  of  the  country.  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  Methodist  is  the  youngest  of  the  Churches 
mentioned.  She  is  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
years  younger  than  the  Baptists,  one  hundred  and 
eighteen  years  younger  than  the  Congregationalists, 
sixty-three  years  younger  than  the  Presbyterians; 
while  the  Catholics,  Episcopalians,  and  Lutherans  are 
as  old  as  immigration  to  the  American  shores.  Not- 
withstanding this,  the  Methodist  Church  is  by  far 
the  largest  in  numbers.  The  census  table  shows 
that  she  has  one-third  of  all  the  Church  organiza- 
tions in  the  United  States;  one-third  of  all  the 
Church  edifices;  preachers  to  one-fourth  of  all  the 
Church-going  population;  and  has  built,  on  an  aver- 
age, nearly  two  churches  per  day  for  the  last  twenty 


General  Summary  of  Methodists.  279 

years.  The  Methodist  population  in  the  United 
States  is  estimated  to  be  23,440,465.  "  In  twenty-two 
of  the  thirty-seven  States  in  the  Union,  the  Method- 
ist Church  is  first  in  numbers;  in  eleven  others  she 
is  second;  in  three  others  she  is  third.  The  Koman 
Catholic  Church  is  first  in  five  States;  the  Baptist  is 
first  in  six  States;  and  the  Congregationalist  is  first 
in  four  States." 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  tables  that  the  Meth- 
odist Church  stands  far  in  advance  of  all  other  de- 
nominations in  this  country.  She  ranks  first  in  the 
number  of  her  communicants,  in  the  number  and 
capacity  of  her  Church  buildings,  and  in  the  value  of 
Church  property,  and  in  the  amount  of  money  col- 
lected and  expended  for  Church  purposes.  Let  it  be 
understood  once  for  all: 

1.  The  success  of  Methodism  did  not  arise  from 
any  government  aid.  Methodism  received  no  special 
favors  from  human  government.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  Episcopalians  in  England,  the  Presbyterians 
in  Scotland,  and  the  Lutherans  in  Germany,  are  sup- 
ported largely  by  State  taxes.  Methodist  people 
there  are  forced  to  pay  the  ministers  of  these 
Churches.  In  America,  the  Episcopalians  and  Pres- 
byterians have  occupied  largely  the  leading  offices  in 
the  gift  of  the  civil  government. 

2.  Methodism  has  not  grown  to  its  enormous  pro- 
portions by  immigration.  It  is  well  known  that  the 
growth  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  this  coun- 
try has  been  mainly  by  immigrants.  The  other 
Churches  have  swelled  their  ranks  by  immigration, 
while  Methodism  had  to  grow  by  the  conversion  of 
native  Americans. 


280  The  Methodist  Armor. 

3.  Methodism  lias  not  succeeded  through  superior 
educational  facilities.  The  first  colleges  built Jui  this 
country  were  run  in  the  interest  of  other  Churches. 
The  education  of  the  Methodist  ministers,  especially 
in  early  times,  was  not  equal  to  that  of  other  denom- 
inations. The  success  of  Methodism,  then,  is  not 
found  in  superior  intellectual  culture. 

4.  The  success  of  Methodism  did  not  arise  from 
the  possession  of  great  wealth  and  social  advantages 
The  early  Methodists  were  generally  poor  people. 
One  of  the  glories  of  Methodism  was  the  fact  that  it 
preached  the  gospel  to  the  poor,  obscure,  neglected 
people.  It  sought  out  the  " uncombed  million"  living 
in  the  highways  and  hedges. 

5.  Nor  did  it  grow  to  greatness  because  the  times 
were  propitious.  The  time  of  its  origin  was  one  of 
darkness — one  of  infidelity — rampant  immoralities. 
The  world  was  sunk  in  moral  degradation  when 
Methodism  began. 

We  must,  then,  find  the  causes  of  Methodist  suc- 
cess to  be  (1)  the  superiority  of  its  doctrines;  (2)  the 
efficiency  of  its  ecclesiastical  organization;  (3)  the 
piety,  earnestness,  and  activity  of  its  ministers  and 
members;  (4)  and  above  all,  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Spirit — firing  the  hearts  and  enlightening  the  minds 
of  the  preachers  and  people.  "It  is  not  by  power, 
nor  by  might,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord." 
As  the  life  and  fruitfulness  of  the  vine  depend  on 
the  vitalizing  sap  circulating  through  it,  so  does  the 
fruitfulness  of  a  Church  depend  upon  the  Holy 
Spirit.  "The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace." 
As  the  earth  is  lependent  on  the  sun  for  its  beauty 
and  fruitfulness,  so  is  the  Church  dependent  od  the 


Apostolic  Features.  281 

light  and  warmth  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  make  it  re- 
joice  and  blossom  as  a  rose. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  APOSTOLIC  FEATURES  OF  THE  METHODIST 
CHURCH. 

1.  The  apostolic  Church  was  a  voluntary  company 
or  society.  Men  attached  themselves  to  this  by 
choice,  and  not  under  force.  It  is  said  of  the  early 
disciples,  "  They  went  to  their  own  company."  This 
apostolic  society  soon  grew  to  a  company  of  thou- 
sands. Like  the  apostolic  Church,  Methodism  began 
by  forming  a  society  for  religious  culture,  and  soon 
grew  to  thousands. 

2.  The  apostolic  Church  was  a  separated  compa- 
ny— a  society  to  promote  holiness.  Its  members 
were  called  out  from  among  the  people  of  the  world 
and  consecrated  to  the  service  of  God.  Like  the 
apostolic  Church,  the  Methodists  consecrated  them- 
selves to  the  service  of  the  Lord.  The  leading  de- 
sign of  Mr.  Wesley's  societies  was  to  get  good  and 
spread  holiness  over  the  land.  "  The  king's  daugh- 
ter is  glorious  within."  "As  the  Lord  is  holy,  be  ye 
also  holy." 

3.  The  apostolic  Church  had  its  rules  of  govern- 
ment. These  were  very  few  and  simple.  "When  any 
member  of  this  Church  became  wicked,  "  such  were 
delivered  unto  Satan."  Mr.  Wesley  selected  these 
apostolic  rules  of  moral  conduct,  and  formed  a  code 
known  as  "  The  General  Rules,"  by  the  observance 
of  which  the  people  were  required  to  live. 


282  The  Methodist  Armor. 

4.  The  members  of  the  apostolic  Church  had  ex- 
perimental religion.  They  were  converted  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  They  lived  in 
the  enjoyment  of  religion.  "  Then  had  the  churches 
rest  throughout  all  Judea,  and  Galilee,  and  Samaria, 
and  were  edified;  and  walking  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were 
multiplied."  (Acts  ix.  31.)  Like  these  churches,  the 
Methodist  Church  from  the  beginning  preached  and 
enjoyed  experimental  religion.  This  is  a  peculiar 
and  distinctive  feature  of  Methodism. 

5.  The  apostolic  Church  grew  and  "  multiplied." 
And  has  not  Methodism  grown  from  a  handful  to  an 
army  of  millions?  And  while  Methodism  has  grown 
so  extensively,  its  doctrinal  unity  has  not  been  bro- 
ken. Among  all  its  many  branches  its  doctrinal 
unity  is  the  great  trunk  of  these  branches. 

"  I  saw  in  Natal,"  says  James  Anthony  Froude,  "  a 
colossal  fig-tree.  It  had  a  central  stem,  but  I  knew 
not  where  the  center  was,  for  the  branches  bent  to 
the  ground,  and  struck  root  there;  and  at  each  joint 
a  fresh  trunk  shot  up  erect,  and  threw  out  new 
branches  in  turn  which  again  arched  and  planted 
themselves,  till  the  single  tree  had  become  a  forest; 
and  overhead  was  spread  a  vast  dome  of  leaves  and 
fruit,  which  was  supported  on  innumerable  columns, 
like  the  roof  of  some  vast  cathedral."  Mr.  Froude 
applies  this  to  England  and  her  colonies;  but  I  apply 
it  to  Methodism.  We  know  well  enough  where  the 
parent  stem  is,  and  the  remotest  branches  are  proud 
of  their  ancestral  roots;  but  the  secondary  growths 
are  enormous,  and  are  so  many  that  they  become  a 
forest,  and  the   branches   have  taken  root  in  every 


Apostolic  Features.  283 

soil  and  have  sprung  up  again,  till  they  extend  over 
continents  and  reach  across  seas,  and  the  leaves  of 
the  tree  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations,  and  mill- 
ions find  refreshment  beneath  its  shade  and  are 
feasted  on  its  golden  fruits;  and,  whether  in  the 
frozen  north  or  underneath  the  fiery  sun  of  the  trop- 
ics, every  stem  and  branch  and  leaf  has  a  common 
life  and  draws  its  strength  and  vigor  from  the  same 
indestructible  root. 

Looking  at  these  points  of  spiritual  resemblance, 
all  fair-minded  men  must  see  the  apostolic  features 
of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  that  their  claim  of  be- 
ing evangelical  is  well  founded.  She  bears  stamped 
upon  her  brow  the  mark  of  divine  approval.  It  is 
impossible  to  account  for  her  spiritual  success  upon 
any  other  theory.  "We  are  now  prepared  to  see  the 
absurdity  of  those  Church  claims  which  are  founded 
on  any  thing  else  except  the  piety  of  its  members. 
Fruit  is  the  one  decisive  test.  Christ  said,  "  By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  And  this  test  is  just  as 
true  of  Churches  as  it  is  of  individuals.  The  script- 
ural  soundness  of  a  Church  is  to  be  known  by  its 
spiritual  fruits.  High-sounding  names  are  of  very 
little  value.  Not  what  Churches  pretend  to  be,  but 
what  they  are,  in  reforming  the  world,  must  be  the 

standard  of  excellency ("  That  orchard  may 

claim  superiority  over  every  other  which  sends  the 
best  apples  to  market,  the  most  uniformly,  no  matter 
whether  they  have  a  name  or  not.  Apples  are  apples, 
good  apples  are  good  apples,  the  best  are  the  best, 
and  no  thanks  to  anybody,  scientific  or  unscientific. 
The  center  of  the  universe  is  God,  and  the  noblest 
creature  which   he  has  created  on  this  globe  is  mau. 


284  The  Methodist  Armor. 

and  the  highest  thing  which  man  has  attained  is 
Christian  manhood,  and  he  that  is  best  developed  in 
manhood  has  priority  everywhere  and  in  every  thing. 
And  any  Church  that  has  the  power  of  genius  in  it, 
or  the  power  of  art  in  it,  or  the  power  of  eloquence 
in  it,  or  any  other  mark  of  superiority  in  it,  though 
it  has  had  an  existence  coextensive  with  the  globe, 
and  though  it  has  a  lineage  running  through  all  time, 
if  it  turns  out  a  poor  article  of  Christian  manhood,  is 
a  sham — a  bogus  concern.  But  a  Church  without  a 
lineage,  though  it  has  been  ever  so  obscure,  and 
though  its  pretensions  are  the  humblest,  if  it  has 
achieved  the  reputation  of  turning  out  the  noblest 
and  the  best  men,  has  priority  over  every  other 
Church.  And  therefore  men  should  be  careful  how 
they  claim  superiority  on  the  abstract  ground  that 
there  are  links  which  carry  them,  back  to  the  times  of 
the  apostles.  What  a  shame  it  would  be  for  a  Church 
to  have  the  links  all  just  right,  and  to  turn  out  the 
poorest  members!  What  a  shame  it  is  that  such  a 
Church  should  not  turn  out  members  as  good  as  a 
Church  that  has  not  a  single  link,  and  does  not  know 
wlrc>  its  Church-father  or  Church-grandfather  is!  A 
Church  that  has  great  radiant  natures  in  it;  a  Church 
in  which  there  are  men  who  are  willing  to  sacrifice 
themselves  for  others;  a  Church  whose  members  grow 
larger  and  larger  by  works  of  benevolence;  a  Church 
filled  with  great,  generous  souls;  a  Church  like  the 
Methodist  Church;  a  Church  that  has  in  its  member- 
ship good  men,  and  makes  good  men,  and  keeps  mak- 
ing them  all  the  time,  and  many  of  them.  What  else 
do  you  want  but  that?  What  more  authenticity  do 
you  want  than  it  has?") 


Apostolic  Features.  285 

What  is  the  end  of  Church  organization?  Why,  of 
course,  to  turn  sinners  into  saints.  To  lead  men  to 
repentance,  to  faith  in  Christ,  to  obedience  to  God's 
law;  to  make  bad  men  good  men — to  turn  men  from 
the  vanities  of  earth  to  serve  the  true  and  living  God; 
to  lead  men  to  holiness  of  heart  and  life,  and  thence 
to  a  glorious  heaven.  And  a  Church  that  is  doing 
such  a  glorious  work  is  God's  Church.  If  there  be 
but  one  Church  doing  so,  then  there  is  but  one 
Church,  but  if  there  be  a  hundred  Churches  doing 
such  work,  then  there  are  a  hundred  gospel  Churches 
in  the  world,  and  the  more  of  them  the  better  it  will 
be  for  the  world.  Methodism  does  not  claim  to  be 
the  only  Church,  but  a  Church  among  the  many.  It 
claims  to  be  one  of  the  "seven  stars  in  His  right- 
hand"  to  enlighten  the  world.  It  claims  to  be  one 
of  the  fruitful  branches  growing  out  of  Christ,  "the 
Vine."  And  "  herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye 
bear  much  fruit;  so  shall  ye  be  my  disciples." 

The  general  Church  is  one.  It  is  the  entire  body 
of  all  justified  persons,  adults  or  infants,  in  every 
period  of  time,  in  earth  or  in  heaven.  A  gospel 
Church  is  a  company  of  believers  organized  into  a 
society,  believing  a  Bible  creecL  having  its  own  ritual 
and  ecclesiastical  machinery,  claiming  for  its  head 
Christ,  for  its  object  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel,  and 
for  its  destiny  a  glorious  triumph.  And  such  is  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 

The  External  Form  of  Church  Government. 

We  do  not  claim  that  the  external  form  of  our 
Church  government  is  divinely  prescribed.  Neither 
is  the  form  of  other  Churches  prescribed.     Mr.  Wes- 


286  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ley  said:  "It  is  unanswerably  proved  that  neither 
Christ  nor  his  apostles  prescribe  any  particular  form 
of  Church  government."  The  Jewish  Church  evi- 
dently with  certain  modification  became  the  Christian 
Church.  Christ  did  not  command  his  disciples  to 
form  a  new  Church.  No  such  command  can  be 
found.  "It  is  true  that  there  is  not  on  record  one 
single  line  or  word  from  him  which  prescribes  a  new 
Church  as  distinct  from  the  Jewish  Church.  He 
lived  in  the  Jewish  Church  himself.  He  died  a 
member  and  communicant  of  that  Church.  Nor 
did  his  disciples  understand  that  they  were  to  step 
out  of  it  and  fashion  another  one.  They,  all  of 
them,  for  more  than  twenty-five  years,  lived  in  com- 
munion with  the  Jewish  Church.  Forty  years  after 
the  ascension  of  their  Master,  they  still  sacrificed  in 
the  temple,  and  were  a  Christian  brotherhood  only  as 
a  party  in  the  original  Jewish  Church.  It  would 
seem  to  be  the  height  of  historical  phantasy,  there- 
fore, to  declare  that  the  Christian  Church  was  out- 
lined and  prescribed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  un- 
derstood to  be  so  by  his  apostles,  and  taught  by  them 
to  be  so.  A  greater  mistake  can  scarce  be  imagined." 
We  have  almost  an  exact  analogy  of  this  in  Meth- 
odism. When  Wesley  undertook  to  reform  the 
Church  of  England,  he  did  not  separate  his  disciples 
from  the  Established  Church.  They  remained  in  it 
and  observed  its  ordinances  and  rules,  at  the  same 
lime  holding  separate  meetings  of  their  own,  over  and 
above  those  of  their  own  Church.  Finally,  it  became 
necessary  for  them  to  draw  out  and  set  up  a  new  and 
independent  organization.  And  so  the  early  disciples 
still  adhered  to  the  temple  services,  though  they  had 


Apostolic  Features.  287 

social  and  spiritual  meetings  of  their  own  besides,  till 
the  Roman  army  destroyed  the  city  and  the  temple 
with  it.  Then  they  were  forced  to  organize  some 
other  form,  and  they  modeled  their  future  organi- 
zation mainly  after  the  pattern  of  the  synagogue. 
There  is  no  specific  form  of  Church  government  to 
be  found  anywhere  in  the  New  Testament. 

"Nevertheless,  there  was  a  Church.  There  were 
religious  institutions.  They  were  accepted.  They 
were  implied.  And  the  moment  the  apostles  began 
to  preach  outside  of  Judea,  where  there  was  no  tem- 
ple, and  where  there  were  no  synagogues,  they  were 
organized,  they  were  officered;  and  there  came  to  be 
laws  and  methods  and  usages,  and  the  apostles  com  • 
manded  them,  interpreted  them,  and  ranked  them. 

"  Therefore,  if  any  man  say  that  there  is  no  warrant 
in  the  word  of  God  for  any  Church  organization,  1 
think  he  misses  the  mark  on  one  extreme  as  much  as 
the  hierarch  misses  it  on  the  other  when  he  declares 
that  there  was  a  specific  form  of  organization  pre- 
scribed for  the  Christian  Church.  These  are  the  ex- 
tremists on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other." 

Secondly,  it  is  recognized  that  there  is  perfect  free- 
dom in  taking  up  and  laying  down  the  rites,  the 
usages,  the  forms,  the  customs,  and  the  instructing 
methods  of  the  New  Testament.  You  can  make  your 
election  among  them.  You  can  avail  yourselves  of 
them,  not  according  to  any  prescribed  divinely  ap- 
pointed scheme,  but  according  to  the  exigences  and 
necessities  of  the  work  which  you  yourselves  have  ip 
hand;  for  the  liberty  of  man,  by  virtue  of  his  adhe- 
sion to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  ie  the  axis  of  the 
teaching  of  the  New  Testament 


288  The  Methodist  Armor. 

All  men  have  the  inalienable  right  to  worship,  love, 
and  serve  God.  There  can  be  no  question  on  this 
point.  This  right  carries  with  it  another  right — the 
right  of  men  to  form  themselves  into  an  association 
to  improve  and  protect  their  spiritual  interests.  The 
right  to  civil  liberty  implies  the  right  to  organize  a 
government  to  secure,  perpetuate,  and  defend  it;  so 
the  right  to  worship  God  carries  the  right,  on  the  part 
of  men,  to  organize  a  Church  to  promote  that  divine 
service.  A  company,  then,  of  godly  men  have  the  in- 
alienable and  inherent  right  to  organize  a  Church  as 
a  means  of  cultivating  and  propagating  holiness.  As 
Luther  and  his  followers  had  a  right  to  organize  the 
Lutheran  Church,  as  John  Calvin  and  Knox  had  a 
right  to  organize  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  Bishop 
Cranmer  and  Henry  VIII.  had  a  right  to  organize  the 
Episcopal  Church  in  England,  and  Roger  Williams 
and  his  brethren  had  a  right  to  organize  the  Baptist 
Church,  so  had  Mr.  "Wesley,  Coke,  and  Asbury  a 
right  to  organize  the  Methodist  Church.  They  all 
stand  precisely  upon  the  same  ground.  The  whole 
Protestant  world  stands  or  falls  together. 

Thirdly,  in  organizing  the  externals  of  a  Church 
where  there  is  no  divine  prescription  given,  men  are 
left  free  to  choose  that  form  which  promises  the  most 
good. 

"  Methodism,  then,  had  a  great  advantage  in  its  be- 
ginning, in  that  it  was  extremely  modern.  Episco- 
palians on  the  one  hand  and  Congregationalists  on  the 
other  alike  claimed  to  find  the  warrant  for  their  char- 
acteristic outer  forms  in  those  of  the  apostolic  Church. 
Presbyterians  and  other  people-  between  the  two  ex- 
tremes also  anchored  themselves  in  deductions  from  the 


Apostolic  Features.         •  289 

Acts  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Epistles  of  Paul.  It  was 
the  good  fortune  of  Methodism  to  be  a  system  based 
only  on  expediency,  not  claiming  a  "divine  right"  for 
its  circuits,  its  annual  removals,  its  clock-work  system 
of  wheels  within  wheels,  its  class-leaders,  and  stew- 
ards, and  exhorters,  and  local  preachers.  It  did  not 
go  further  for  authority  for  its  agencies  than  this, 
namely,  that  they  were  needed,  and  that  they  were 
useful.  It  was  the  divine  right,  not  of  precedent,  but 
of  common  sense.  The  whole  superstructure  of  the 
canon  law  went  down  before  the  military  necessity  of 
a  missionary  Church.  It  was  not  asked  what  Paul 
thought  best  to  do  in  founding  a  Church  at  Philippi 
or  at  Ephesus,  but  straightforwardly  it  was  demanded 
what  was  best  for  Philadelphia,  and  what  was  wisest 
for  Charleston;  not  what  the  elders  thought  best  in 
conference  at  Jerusalem,  but  what  the  delegates 
thought  wise  in  General  Conference  in  Baltimore. 
Hence  the  immense  flexibility  and  mobility  of  this 
aggressive  ecclesiastical  system,  which  thus  unloaded 
itself,  not  only  of  the  lumber  of  the  mediaeval  cent- 
uries, but  of  the  out-of-date  expedients  of  the  apos- 
tolic age  as  well." 

The  Claims  of  Methodism. 

While  we  do  not  claim  to  be  the  only  Church,  we  do 
claim  to  be  superior  to  some  others  in  many  impor- 
tant particulars. 

1.  We  claim  superiority  in  the  scriptural  soundness 
of  our  leading  doctrines.  There  are  four  great  doctri- 
nal systems  in  the  world — the  Koman  Catholic,  the  Cal- 
vinistic,  the  Lutheran,  and  the  Wesleyan.  The  Cath- 
olic creed  teaches  that  salvation  comes  through  the 

10 


2!>0  •      The  Methodist  Armor. 

Pupal  Church  alone.  The  Calvinistic  creed  makes 
the  salvation  or  non-salvation  of  every  soul  to  depend 
on  the  unchangeable  decree  of  God.  The  Lutheran 
creed  lodges  tue  salvation  of  the  soul  too  much  in  the 
sacraments  The  Methodist  creed  makes  the  salva- 
tion or  non-salvation  of  every  soul  depend  on  his  will- 
ingness to  receive  and  appropriate  the  free  grace  of  the 
gospel  offered  to  all  men.  This  creed  presents  a  doc- 
trine high  as  the  love  of  God  and  wide  as  the  deep 
wants  of  the  human  race.  This  ground  view  of  Meth- 
odism appeals  to  the  common  sense  of  mankind  for 
its  truth,  has  driven  Calvinism  practically  out  of  the 
pulpit  of  Christendom,  and  is  rapidly  ascending  to  the 
throne  of  universal  acceptance.  It  preaches  a  free  and 
full  salvation,  justification  by  faith  alone,  carefulness 
to  maintain  good  works,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  to 
the  believer's  present  acceptance,  holiness  of  life,  a 
burning  love  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  an  entire  reli- 
ance upon  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  source  of  spirit- 
ual power;  it  has  an  open  communion-table,  contends 
for  a  pure  and  spiritual  worship,  a  deep  and  heart- 
felt experience  of  vital  religion,  encourages  and  pro- 
motes revivals  as  vital  to  the  health  and  growth  of  a 
Church.  The  vast  army  of  Methodism  has  been  re- 
cruited mainly  through  its  system  of  revivals.  While 
other  Churches  have  been  gathering  a  few  members, 
through  family  training  and  catechetical  instruction, 
Methodism  has  swept  them  in  by  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands. The  first  method  is  the  slow  way  of  fishing 
with  hook  and  line,  the  revival  method  is  fishing  with 
a  net  that  goes  far  out  into  the  waters  and  sweeps  in 
thousands  at  one  haul. 

2.  Methodism  claims  superiority  in  adapting  itself 


Apostolic  Features.  291 

to  the  circumstances  of  human  life.  "  Methodism," 
says  the  celebrated  Dr.  Talmage,  "  in  England  preach- 
es in  a  gown;  in  our  Eastern  cities,  in  broadcloth;  in 
the  West,  in  shirt-sleeves,  if  the  season  be  appro- 
priate— preaching  in  the  house  or  in  the  fields,  any- 
where, it  makes  no  difference  where — preaching  just  as 
well  in  one  place  as  in  another.  It  takes  the  express 
train  and  goes  across  the  continent,  or  a  horse  and 
rides  with  saddle-bags  across  the  prairie;  it  is  at 
home  in  the  magnificent  St.  Paul's,  New  York,  and  is 

not  at  all  inconvenienced  in  a  log-cabin Here 

is  a  man  fallen  down  in  the  ditch  of  sin  and  crime. 
How  are  we  going  to  get  him  out?  We  come  up  ele- 
gantly appareled,  and  we  look  at  him,  and  we  say, 
'What  a  pity  it  is  to  see  a  man  so  deep  in  the  mud! 
We  wish  we  could  get  him  out.  Is  it  not  awful  to  see 
that  man  suffering  there?  Get  a  pry,  somebody,  and 
help  now!  I  wish  I  had  on  my  other  clothes.'  While 
we  stand  there  looking  at  the  poor  man,  the  Methodist 
comes  along,  and  says,  '  Brother,  give  me  your  hand,' 
pulls  him  up,  and  sets  him  on  the  Rock  of  Ages." 
We  are  told  in  one  of  the  Arabian  stories  of  a  fairy 
tent  which  a  young  prince  brought,  hidden  in  a  wal- 
nut-shell, to  his  father.  Placed  in  a  council  cham- 
ber, it  grew  till  it  encanopied  the  king  and  his  minis- 
try; taken  into  the  court-yard,  it  filled  the  space  till  all 
the  household  stood  beneath  its  shade;  brought  into 
the  midst  of  the  great  plain  without  the  city,  where 
the  army  was  encamped,  it  spread  its  expansive  shade 
all  abroad  till  it  gave  shelter  to  a  mighty  host  of  peo- 
y)le.  It  had  wonderful  flexibility  and  expansiveness 
And  such  is  the  expansive  flexibility  and  adaptedness 
of  Methodism.     It  has  this  power  of  easy  adaptation 


292  The  Methodist  Armor. 

to  the  most  diversified  conditions  of  life;  it  reaches 
out  its  arms  to  embrace  the  negro  in  his  hut,  the 
backwoodsman  in  his  forest  home,  the  scholar  in  his 
study,  and  the  prince  in  his  gilded  palace. 

3  Methodism,  more  than  any  other  denomination, 
has  exercised  a  watch-care  over  individual  members. 
To  visit,  from  time  to  time,  every  house  where  there  is 
a  Methodist  member,  though  it  may  be  but  a  servant- 
girl,  and  to  talk  and  pray  with  them,  is  the  old  ideal 
of  a  Methodist  preacher's  duty,  and  it  is  yet  held  and 
acted  on  in  most  places.  The  class-leader  is  also  to 
watch  over  the  members  in  his  charge,  and  "to  see 
every  member  of  his  class  once  a  week"  was  formerly 
exacted  of  him.  This  constant  -watchfulness  checked 
incipient  backslidings,  recovered  those  who  had  gone 
astray,  and  was  a  powerful  engine  for  the  enforcement 
of  discipline.  The  class-leaders  are  appointees  of  the 
pastor,  and  are  his  deputies.  Attendance  upon  the 
class-meeting  is  no  longer  compulsory,  but  the  watch- 
fulness of  the  leader  over  his  flock  and  his  accounta- 
bility to  the  pastor  in  the  regular  meetings  of  the 
official  board  are  yet  great  powers  for  the  conserva- 
tion of  the  membership.  A  system  of  intelligence  is 
thus  established  by  which  the  pastor  is  enabled  to 
consider  every  member,  even  the  most  obscure,  in  his 
individual  circumstances  and  qualities.  Methodism 
is  not  so  much  an  organization,  but  an  organism  in 
which  every  part,  even  the  remotest,  is  vitalized  by  its 
connection  with  the  whole.  Of  late  years  an  effort 
has  been  made  to  supply  the  lack  of  the  old  efficiency 
of  the  class-meeting  system  by  organizing  the  ladies  of 
the  city  congregations  into  societies  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  the  pastor  in  visitation  and  supervision. 


Apostolic  Feature*.  293 

Methodism  lias  always  been  intensely  social.  Its 
class-meetings  were  family  gatherings ;  its  love-feasts, 
and  prayer  -  meetings,  and  "general  class  -  meetings," 
were  so  many  ever-recurring  expressions  of  its  social 
life.  More  powerful  than  any  oratory  is  the  influence 
of  fellowship  upon  the  masses  of  the  people,  and  this 
fellowship  Methodism  furnished  and  still  furnishes. 
In  the  older  and  less  conventional  days  I  have  seen 
class-meetings  and  love-feasts  break  up  with  what  the 
enthusiastic  Western  people  called  "  a  good  old-fash- 
ioned Methodist  shake  hands  all  round."  No  social 
distinctions  were  tolerated  then.  The  title  of  "  broth- 
er "  and  "  sister,"  in  all  but  universal  use  between 
Methodists  as  substitutes  for  "  Mr."  and  "  Mrs."  was 
a  symbol  of  the  entire  equality  of  brethren  in  the 
Church. 

4.  Methodism  claims  superiority  in  her  methods  of 
diffusing  the  gospel  over  the  world,  through  the  itin- 
erant ministry.  It  is  this  grand  agency  that  has  en- 
abled Methodism  to  keep  up  with  the  march  of  frontier 
settlements,  cross  the  Alleghanies,  follow  the  Indian 
trail  beyond  the  Mississippi,  and  at  length  fill  the  far 
West  with  the  sound  of  its  victories.  In  the  wake  of 
its  luminous  progress  have  sprung  up  all  kinds  of 
improvements.  It  has  been  a  popular  educator,  civil- 
izer,  and  refiner  to  the  rude  masses  of  the  West.  A  dis- 
tinguished outsider  has  "  recognized  in  the  Methodist 
economy,  as  well  as  in  the  zeal,  the  devoted  piety,  and 
efficiency  of  its  ministry,  one  of  the  most  powerful 
elements  in  the  religious  prosperity  of  the  United 
States,  as  well  as  one  of  the  firmest  pillars  of  their 
civil  and  political  institutions."  Bancroft,  the  histo- 
rian, acknowledges  the  Methodists  as  "the  pioneers 


294  •    The  Methodist  Armor. 

of  religion"  in  this  country,  and  says  that  they  have 
"carried  their  consolations,  songs,  and  prayers  to  the 
farthest  cabins  in  the  wilderness."  Another  talented 
writer  has  said:  "Their  voice  went  through  the  land 
as  a  trumpet-call.  It  sounded  over  the  heights  and 
depths,  and  filled  the  country  with  its  echoes."  Not 
only  have  the  banners  of  Methodism  been  planted  in 
all  the  States  and  Territories  of  the  Union,  from  sea  to 
sea,  but  it  has  spread  rapidly  over  Great  Britain,  its 
native  home,  into  Scotland,  Ireland,  to  Nova  Scotia 
the  West  Indies,  France,  Africa,  India,  Germany,  and 
is  achieving  remarkable  success  in  the  Cannibal  Isl- 
ands of  the  Southern  Sea.  "  The  world  is  my  par- 
ish," said  Mr.  Wesley.  And  it  seems  that  this  proph- 
ecy is  about  to  be  realized,  for  the  bright  eye  of  the 
sun  sees  no  longitude  on  the  rolling  earth  where  Meth- 
odism is  not  working  for  the  salvation  of  men.  May 
her  future  history  realize  the  noble  anticipations  of 
the  poet  Montgomery,  who  said :  "  Century  expanding 
after  century,  like  circle  beyond  circle  in  broad  water, 
shall  carry  farther  and  farther  the  blessings  of  the 
Methodist  dispensation,  till  they  have  tracked  every 
sea  and  touched  every  shore!  " 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

1  HE  TRAINING  OF  CHILDREN  IN  CHRISTIAN  HOMES, 
SO  AS  TO  BRING  THEM  TO  CHRIST  AND  ATTACH 
THEM  TO  METHODISM. 

(Address  of  Rev.  Joseph  Wood,  in  the  Ecumenical  Methodist  Book.) 
The  subject  limits  us  to  the  consideration  of  one  in- 
stitution for  leading  our  children  "to  Christ  and  at- 
taching them  to  Methodism,"  viz.,  their  "training  in 


The  Training  of  Children.  295 

Christian  homes."  It  is  obligatory  upon  parents  to 
bring  up  their  families  "  in  the  nurture  and  admoni- 
tion of  the  Lord."  The  lessons  imparted  at  the  fire- 
side, the  spirit  of  Christianity  pervading  the  house, 
and  the  gentle  courtesies  and  sweet  attachments  of 
home,  ought  to  engrave  the  words  of  God  and  the 
gospel  of  his  Son  upon  the  heart  and  mind  of  every 
child  and  every  member  of  the  household.  We  shall 
lay  down  and  briefly  discuss  several  propositions: 

1.  The  Eeligion  of  Methodists  ought  to  be  Trans- 
mitted TO,  AND  EEPRODUCED  IN,  THEIR  CHILDREN. 

What  is  the  religion  of  Methodists?  Has  it  any 
peculiarities — any  distinctive  features  ?  It  is  not  sim- 
ply a  creed  or  a  profession;  it  is  life  and  energy,  a 
power  in  the  heart  controlling  the  center  of  our  being. 
John  Wesley  had  to  insist  on  a  religious  life.  He 
found  the  profession  without  the  power  of  godliness, 
and  his  great  object  was  to  revive  vital  Christianity. 
We  want  to  see  Methodism,  in  its  true  import,  handed 
down  from  generation  to  generation.  We  do  not  de- 
sire to  alter  its  form  or  principles,  but  to  diffuse  its 
living  spirit  and  power.  It  will  profit  our  children 
but  little  to  have  the  name  of  Methodists  and  to  cling 
to  the  traditions  of  their  fathers,  if  they  be  destitute 
of  the  great  reality — the  inward  and  spiritual  change. 
The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  "in  word  only,  but  also 
in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  as- 
surance." 

Our  subject  speaks  of  "bringing  children  to  Christ," 
and  "attaching  them  to  Methodism;"  that  is  the  or- 
der—" to  Christ,"  and  then  "  to  Methodism."  It  would 
not  be  desirable  to  retain  such  as  are  alienated  from 


296  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Christ  Our  churches  have  but  few  attractions  for 
the  unrenewed.  They  lack  those  external  elements 
which  are  the  great  charm  and  fascination  of  worldly 
minds.  The  world  will  love  its  own.  Then  to  abide 
with  us,  our  sons  and  daughters  must  be  born  again, 
partake  of  our  faith,  and  repeat  our  life.  If  they 
have  no  saving  relation  to  Christ,  their  relation 
to  the  Church  cannot  profit  either  them  or  us;  to 
hold  in  connection  with  it  ungodly  persons  would 
diminish  the  power  and  tarnish  the  glory  of  any 
Church.  A  worldly  and  impure  element  is  an  ele- 
ment of  weakness  and  decay.  To  be  satisfied  with 
airy  thing  less  than  the  new  birth  for  our  members,  we 
should  lower  the  standard  which  our  fathers  set  up, 
and  surrender  the  object  for  which  Methodism,  by 
the  providence  of  God,  was  called  into  existence.  If 
we  cannot  persuade  our  young  people  to  fulfill  the 
conditions  of  such  change,  and  thereby  pass  from 
death  unto  life,  we  shall  not  have  power,  and,  it  is 
hoped,  shall  not  desire  to  retain  them  in  our  Com- 
munion. 

Then  follows  the  prodigiously  important  question, 
How  far  are  parents  responsible  for  the  regeneration 
of  their  children?  We  do  not  believe  any  more  in  a 
spiritual  "birthright  membership"  in  the  Church  than 
we  do  in  baptismal  regeneration.  All  are  born  in  sin. 
Every  child  must  be  won  to  Christ  personally,  and  be 
renewed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  that  child  remains 
under  the  condemnation  due  to  sin,  even  though  its 
parents  are  as  godly  as  Elkanah  and  Hannah  of  old. 
Is  there  any  ground  for  the  general  belief  that,  what- 
ever be  the  training,  it  is  wholly  uncertain  what  our 
sons  and  daughters,  in  character,  will  become,  as  un- 


Tlie  Training  of  Children.  297 

certain  as  if  it  were  a  case  of  lottery?  The  best  is 
hoped  for  them;  but  there  is  no  fixed  law  on  which  a 
confident  expectation  may  be  entertained.  When  we 
know  the  character  of  the  fountain,  we  can  jiidge  of 
the  streams.  By  virtue  of  a  like  sequence,  may  we  not 
determine  the  character  of  children  when  we  have 
ascertained  that  of  parents?  There  is  as  real  a  con- 
nection between  means  and  ends  in  the  spiritual  econ- 
omy as  in  the  natural  economy.  We  reap  what  we 
sow;  the  harvest  answereth  to  the  seed. 

In  its  doctrines  and  precepts  the  Bible  sees  the  re- 
ligious character  of  the  child  in  that  of  the  parent. 
(Gen.  xviii.  19;  Deut.  iv.  40;  Isa.  xliv.  3,  5;  Ezek.  xx. 
5,  6;  Ps.  cxlvii.  13;  Jer.  xxxii.  39;  Acts  ii.  30,  xvi.  31; 
1  Cor.  vii.  14.)  The  divine  purpose  evidently  is  that 
from  godly  parents  there  should  be  a  godly  seed- 
walking  in  all  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of 
the  Lord  blameless ;  that  as  the  race  is  a  body  under 
Adam,  the  Church  should  be  a  body  under  Christ, 
grafting  its  children  into  the  living  Vine,  and  teaching 
all  to  know  the  Lord,  from -the  least  unto  the  greatest. 
The  home  teaching  of  the  Hebrews  was  intended  to 
produce  regeneration  of  character  in  the  children,  to 
make  them  Jews  inwardly  as  well  as  outwardly,  that 
they  might  not  be  "a  stubborn  and  rebellious  gener- 
ation," but  might  "set  their  hope  in  God "  and  " keep 
his  commandments."  AVhen  Paul  directed  Christian 
parents  to  bring  up  their  children  "in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord,"  the  intention  was  not  that 
they  should  be  trained  to  be  merely  Christian  formal- 
ists, but  that  they  should  have  that  kingdom  of  God 
in  the  heart  which  is  "righteousness,  and  peace  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 


298  The  Methodist  ArmoV. 

The  practicability  of  this  work  belongs  exclusively 
to  God.  Our  business  is  to  obey  his  commands. 
Since  it  is  his  method  to  regenerate  children  by 
means  of  Christian  nurture,  it  is  our  duty  to  assume 
that  what  he  contemplates  can  be  done,  and  to  adapt 
bur  machinery  to  the  work.  There  is  no  scriptural 
foundation  for  the  theory  that  all  children  must  grow 
into  sin  before  they  can  grow  into  Christ;  that  all  ed- 
ucation will  produce  a  crop  of  iniquity  before  it  can 
produce  a  crop  of  holiness.  So  far  as  human  instru- 
mentality is  concerned,  it  is  easier  to  persuade  the 
young  to  decide  for  Christ  than  it  is  those  who  are 
hardened  in  sin.  The  work  must  be  attempted  on  a 
large  scale,  and  if  Methodists  can  solve  the  problem 
of  transmitting  vital  religion  from  generation  to  gen- 
eration, the  ultimate  triumph  of  Christianity  will  be- 
come a  matter  of  course. 

The  theory  of  the  Church  of  England  in  relation  to 
children  is  no  idle  dream.  That  Church  takes  it  for 
granted  that  infants  ought  to  be  formally  dedicated 
to  God  by  being  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  adorable 
Trinity,  that  this  solemn  rite  should  be  followed  by 
careful  and  ample  evangelical  instruction — that  the 
instruction  will,  at  an  early  age,  result  in  personal 
conversion  to  God;  hence,  at  thirteen  or  fourteen, 
children  are  to  be  examined  and  urged  to  take  upon 
themselves  the  vows  made  at  their  baptism,  one  of 
which  is  that  they  will  "keep  God's  holy  will  and 
commandments,  and  walk  in  the  same  all  the  days  of 
their  life."  The  order  is  baptism,  evangelical  in- 
struction, and  official  examination.  Methodists  ought 
to  take  hold  of  this  theory  and  turn  it  into  a  living 
reality.     We  do  not  require  all  the  details  of  it,  but 


T/te  Training  of  Children.  299 

the  general  principle.  We  have  the  baptism;  that  is 
the  beginning  of  the  plan.  Instead  of  the  godfathers 
and  the  godmothers,  the  real  parents  are  obligated  to 
undertake  the  religious  instruction  of  the  child.  In 
place  of  the  confirmation  and  the  laying  on  of  the 
bishop's  hands,  there  must  be  examination,  an  indi- 
vidual appeal  to  the  conscience,  to  gain  the  personal 
consent  and  formal  promise  of  each  youth  to  submit 
to  Christ,  and,  as  a  present  guarantee  that  this  prom- 
ise will  be  fulfilled,  now,  at  once,  to  join  the  Church 
by  going  to  some  class. 

In  our  ministry  and  pastoral  work  we  must  make 
this  duty  clear  to  heads  of  households,  and  render 
them  all  the  assistance  we  can  in  the  performance 
of  it.  For  the  ignorance  and  neglect  which  pre- 
vail in  regard  to  it,  ministers  are  largely  responsible. 
In  our  sermons  we  have  assumed,  if  we  have  not  di- 
rectly taught,  that  young  people  are  to  live  several 
years  to  the  world,  and  then  be  converted.  We  have 
looked  for  our  increases  more  from  revival  meetings 
and  the  penitents'  form  than  from  the  family  altar; 
and  been  more  hopeful  of  converts  from  the  ranks  of 
those  who  are  well  bronzed  in  iniquity,  and  have 
passed  through  a  kind  of  tragical  experience  in  turn- 
ing to  God,  than  of  those  who  have  been  trained  in 
the  way  they  should  go  from  earliest  infancy;  and  to 
whom  the  Christian  spirit  of  their  home  has  been  a 
process  of  domestic  conversion,  leading  them  into  the 
path  of  life  before  they  had  wandered  in  the  way  of 
sin  and  death.  Let  the  great  design  of  baptism,  and 
especially  its  covenanting  character,  be  duly  impressed 
upon  parents,  showing  that  the  ordinance  is  part  of  a 
great  plan;  that  it  is  to  be  followed  by  suitable  treat- 


300  The  Methodist  Armor. 

ment  in  order  that  the  baptized  may  become  true  and 
living  Christians  as  soon  as  moral  existence  begins; 
then  shall  we  realize  what  Methodism  most  needs, 
and  what  is  enforced  in  the  Scriptures,  viz.,  an  adult 
Church  which  transmits  vital  religion  to  "  the  gener- 
ation to  come." 

II.  The  Family  Life  and  Habits  of  Methodists 

m  SHOULD  BE  EEGULATED  WITH  A  VlEW      . 
TO  THAT  End. 

What  are  the  elements  of  a  truly  Christian  and 
Methodist  training? 

1.  High-toned  piety  in  the  house  and  in  the  daily  life 
of  the  parents.  In  the  family  more  than  anywhere  else 
is  it  true  that  example  is  better  than  precept.  It  is 
what  parents  are,  rather  than  what  they  say,  that  will 
take  effect.  They  are  the  child's  first  gospel.  He 
reads  them  before  he  can  tell  a  letter  in  his  primer. 
He  imbibes  the  spirit  of  the  house  before  he  is  able 
to  judge  of  the  moral  character  of  it.  The  atmos- 
phere of  many  a  Christian  professor's  house  is  very 
unfavorable  to  the  salvation  of  the  young.  The  ma- 
laria of  worldliness  infects  the  whole  family.  Com- 
mands to  be  good  are  made  a  substitute  for  goodness. 
There  may  be  the  morning  and  evening  devotion, 
strict  attention  to  the  public  means  of  grace,  wise 
counsels  frequently  given;  but  a  defective  example 
will  neutralize  the  whole.  Religion  should  not  be  a 
separate  subsistence  occasionally  introduced  to  serve 
a  purpose  as  masks  are  worn;  but  the  very  life  and 
soul  of  the  family,  ever-present,  pervading,  regulat- 
ing, and  sanctifying  all  events.  Not  simply  sum- 
moned to  soothe  and  cheer  in  times  of  affliction  and 


The  Training  of  Children.  301 

adversity,  but  its  voice  blending  with  the  merriest 
moods,  and  shedding  "sweet  glories"  on  those  mo- 
ments when  the  loved  ones  meet,  and  affection  gushing 
from  warm  and  full  hearts  sparkles  in  the  gleams  of 
pleasant  wit  and  humor.  The  homes  of  Methodists 
ought  to  be  the  brightest  and  happiest  out  of  heaven. 
We  have  all  the  essential  elements  to  make  them 
such;  the  literature,  the  hymns,  the  tunes,  the  devo- 
tion, the  social  enjoyments — in  fact,  every  thing  to 
render  them  cheerful  and  attractive  with  a  living 
piety. 

Such  homes  would  be  nurseries  for  our  churches— 
a  perpetual  means  of  grace  to  the  children.  There 
the  young  would  grow  up,  like  Samuel  and  Timothy, 
a  seed  to  serve  God  in  their  generation.  The  rule 
would  be  for  them  to  be  saved  at  home,  and  not  in  a 
preaching  service  or  a  revival  meeting.  Baxter  says: 
"  I  do  verily  believe  that  if  parents  did  their  duty  as 
they  ought  the  word  publicly  preached  would  not  be 
the  ordinary  means  of  regeneration  in  the  Church,  but 
only  without  the  Church,  among  practical  heathens 
and  infidels."  He  was  greatly  troubled  about  his  own 
salvation,  because  he  could  not  call  to  mind  any  dis- 
tinct time  when  he  was  saved,  until,  tracing  his  expe- 
rience as  far  back  as  he  could,  he  found  that  he  had 
been  saved  too  soon  to  recollect  the  time  of  it.  The 
particular  moment,  if  there  was  one,  was  lost  in  the 
dim  memories  of  childhood.  The  love  of  God  had 
mingled  with  blessings  of  infancy,  and  the  way  of  sin 
he  had  not  known.  John  Wesley  was  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  religion  when  a  child  at  home,  and  was  sc 
remarkable  "  for  the  seriousness  of  his  spirit  and  the 
general  propriety  of  his  behavior,"  that  "at  the  agr 


302  The  Methodist  Armor. 

of  eight  years  he  was  admitted  to  the  sacrament  of 
of  the  Lord's  Supper."  Methodism,  traced  up  to  its 
fountain-head,  must  be  regarded  as  the  outcome  of  all 
domestic  piety,  rather  than  of  any  special  evangelistic 
enterprise.  We  are  more  indebted  to  Susannah  Wes- 
ley than  to  Peter  Bolder.  To  be  like  our  founder  our 
members  must  begin  to  serve  the  Lord  in  childhood, 
under  the  influence  of  parental  training  and  example, 
and  continue  to  walk  before  God  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness to  the  very  end  of  life. 

2.  The  institution  of  suitable  means  in  the  house  for  the 
spiritual  enlightenment  and  regeneration  of  children.  All 
must  not  be  left  to  the  involuntary  influence  of  the 
life.  The  reading  of  the  Scriptures  with  veneration 
and  prayer  is  of  supreme  importance,  and  cannot  in 
any  house  be  omitted  without  immense  loss.  To  read 
with  profit,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  system,  and  to  ac- 
company the  reading  with  explanatory  remarks  and 
occasional  questions.  When  this  cannot  be  done  twice 
a  day,  nor  even  once,  as  is  often  the  case  in  this  busy, 
bustling  age,  in  most  houses  if  proper  efforts  were 
made  one  hour  a  week  could  be  set  apart  for  it,  and 
something  like  a  regular  service  be  held.  It  was  the 
custom  in  Puritan  households  to  spend  the  Sunday 
evening  in  giving  Bible-lessons  and  catechetical  in- 
struction to  the  children  and  the  servants.  This  can- 
not be  done  in  Methodists'  homes,  because  we  have  our 
most  important  public  service  at  that  hour,  when  we 
should  have  the  whole  family  with  us  in  the  house  of 
God,  But  if  there  be  a  will  to  have  it  done,  time  will 
no  doubt  be  found  for  teaching  the  family  the  way  of 
solvation,  and  building  them  up  in  the  most  holy  faith. 

Should   not  all   Methodists  be  urged  to  use  their 


The  Training  of  Children.  303 

Connectional  catechisms  in  home  training?  Every 
child  and  servant  might  have  a  copy,  and  a  ques- 
tion  or  two  be  asked  and  answers  required  daily, 
and  the  whole  reviewed  at  the  weekly  service.  This 
would  furnish  the  young  with  distinctions  and  defini- 
tions of  doctrine  and  Christian  evidences,  and  thus 
fortify  them  against  the  errors  and  sophistries  of  the 
age.  If  such  duties  were  faithfully  attended  to  in  all 
our  homes,  we  should  have  no  fear  respecting  the 
next  generation  of  Methodists.  AVe  might  defy  either 
popery  or  infidelity  to  lead  our  youth  astray. 

The  prayers  of  the  family  should  be  short  and  sim- 
ple, and  refer  to  incidents  which  are  occurring.  Sing- 
ing adds  much  to  the  interest  of  the  service,  and  pre- 
pares the  family  to  join  more  freely  in  the  praises  of 
the  sanctuary.  No  house  is  as  it  ought  to  be  which 
has  not  stated  times  not  only  for  worship,  but  for  con- 
versation with  the  children,  to  ascertain  their  mind  in 
relation -to  divine  things  and  persuade  them  to  decide 
for  Christ.  Should  not  Methodists  have  a  family 
class-meeting  weekly,  when  all  would  feel  perfectly 
free  to  ask  any  question  relative  to  their  circumstances, 
trials,  and  temptations,  and  all  be  encouraged  to  pray 
a  few  words,  even  down  to  the  lisping  little  one,  who 
asks,  "Pleathe,  God,  bleth  little  mammy — bleth  utk 
all  for  Jethuth'  thake?"  Besides  this,  it  is  well  to 
take  the  children  apart  occasionally  and  converse  with 
them  in  the  presence  of  God  about  the  soul,  Jesus 
Christ,  the  judgment  to  come,  the  glorious  provision 
of  the  gospel  to  make  them  happy  forever.  What  con- 
stitutes real  worth  of  character,  what  are  the  elements 
of  true  happiness,  and  what  are  the  objects  which  life 
has  been  given  to  accomplish,  should  be  solemnly  and 


3U4  The  Methodist  Armor. 

frequently  explained  to  tliem,  and  the  interview  always 
end  in  prayer.  The  great  point  for  parents  to  realize 
is  that,  as  a  sphere  of  divine  influence,  the  family  is 
equal  to  the  Church.  They  may  regard  the  place  of 
their  abode  as  no  less  holy  than  the  sanctuary,  the  lit- 
tle gathering  at  the  fireside  as  no  less  sacred  than  the 
assembly  in  the  church  or  chapel,  the  instruction  and 
service  on  the  domestic  hearth  as  no  less  efficacious 
for  spiritual  ends  than  the  rites  and  observances  in 
the  great  congregation. 

To  train  the  children  in  regular  attendance  on  pub- 
lic worship  is  also  a  powerful  means  of  bringing  them 
to  Christ  and  attaching  them  to  his  cause.  A  little 
fellow  asked  his  parents  to  take  him  to  church  with 
them,  and  they  told  him  he  must  wait  till  he  was  older. 
"  Well,"  was  his  shrewd  reply,  "  you  'd  better  take  me 
now,  for  when  I  get  bigger  I  may  not  want  to  go." 
If  parents  regard  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary  as  a 
pleasure,  and  not  merely  a  duty,  their  children  will 
generally  wish  to  attend,  and  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  enforce  it  by  an  act  of  compulsion.  But  care  must 
bo  taken  not  to  make  the  Sabbath-day  one  of  irksome 
restraint  and  burdensome  requisitions — not  one  that 
will  be  regarded  as  an  unwelcome  interruption  to  the 
amusements  and  pursuits  of  the  week,  but  anticipated 
as  a  day  of  rest  and  peaceful  enjoyment.  We  much 
like  the  idea  of  catechising  the  children  on  the  ser- 
mons they  hear,  as  well  as  on  the  doctrines,  duties, 
facts,  and  privileges  of  Christianity,  as  taught  in  our 
forms  of  catechism.  We  cannot  but  think  that  these 
means  would  prevent  at  least  the  majority  of  young 
people  from  forsaking  the  altars  of  God  and  the  courts 
of  Zion. 


The  Training  of  Children.  305 

3.  The  exclusion  from  the  family  circle,  so  far  as  prac- 
ticable, of  all  pernicious  and  dangerous  influences.  We 
scarcely  need  indicate  the  channels  through  which 
these  influences  come.  The  books  that  are  brought 
into  the  house,  the  persons  who  visit  it,  the  social  en- 
tertainments provided,  and  the  companionships  formed, 
are  sources  of  good  or  bad  influences  which  enter  into 
the  mental  and  moral  being,  and  become  interwoven 
with  the  very  life  of  children.  We  cannot  but  regard 
the  superabundant  supply  of  light  literature  as  more 
or  less  dangerous.  Young  people  feed  upon  it  until 
they  have  no  appetite  for  any  thing  solid  and  substan- 
tial. Books  which  deal  with  unreal  persons  and  things 
— with  scenes,  events,  and  characters  far  removed  from 
the  facts  of  existence — unfit  and  incapacitate  the  mind 
for  the  stern  realities  of  life.  It  is  a  grievous  mis- 
take for  those  who  desire  to  attach  their  families  to 
Methodism  not  to  supply  them  with  an  attractive  and 
wholesome  literature,  and  especially  with  the  maga- 
zines and  various  works  issued  by  our  Connectional 
Book-rooms. 

We  should  not,  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary, 
expose  our  children  to  influences  hostile  to  Method- 
ism in  school,  business,  and  social  life.  Too  often 
there  is  but  little  care  as  to  what  teachings  and  sur- 
roundings they  come  under  at  school  or  business. 
If  there  be  some  anxiety  not  to  endanger  their  mor- 
als, there  is  not  much  thought  whether  their  Method- 
ism or  religion  will  be  safe.  At  the  most  critical  time 
of  their  life  th^y  are  placed  in  the  midst  of  conditions 
which  can  hardly  fail  to  deaden  their  moral  sense,  and 
alienate  them  from  the  Churches  of  their  fathers.  Wc 
were  pleased  to  read  the  earnest  words  spoken  at  the 

20 


300  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Wcsleyan  Conference  on  this  point.  One  gentleman 
stated  that  he  knew  three  county  magistrates,  one  a 
Congregationalist,  one  a  Baptist,  and  another  a  Meth- 
odist; the  two  former  sent  their  children  to  Church 
schools,  and  all  had  forsaken  Nonconformity.  The 
Methodist  took  care  that  his  children  were  guarded 
in  youth,  that  they  were  kept  under  godly  Methodist 
influences,  and  five  out  of  his  seven  children  had  be- 
come members  of  the  Methodist  Society.  Mr.  Holden 
said  it  had  cost  him  much  to  educate  his  family  in 
Methodist  schools,  but  the  result  was  worth  far  more 
than  the  expense,  for  his  children  were  members  of 
the  Church,  and  engaged  in  God's  work.  The  sphere 
of  Methodism  is  now  large  and  comprehends  a  suffi- 
cient variety  of  rank  and  of  profitable  and  honorable 
employment,  and  our  young  people,  as  far  as  practi- 
cable, should  be  kept  within  it,  with  the  best  examples 
ever  before  them. 

Is  there  not  reason  to  fear  that  some  are  not  well 
instructed  in  regard  to  their  friendships,  and  partic- 
ularly the  marriage  union?  They  may  set  their  affec- 
tions on  persons  of  doubtful  religious  character,  and 
even  doubtful  morality,  providing  those  persons  are 
equal  to  them,  or  a  degree  above  them,  in  the  social 
scale.  There  is  always  going  to  be  a  good  match 
if  there  is  worldly  respectability.  This  infraction  of 
the  divine  law,  which  allows  believers  to  marry  "  only 
in  the  Lord,"  is  the  cause  of  many  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  our  members  being  lost  to  Methodism. 
In  primitive  times  the  sanction  of  ths  Church  was 
required  for  the  marriage  of  any  of  its  members.  In 
the  Conference  of  1763,  Mr.  Wesley  said:  "Many  of 
our  members  have  lately  married  unbelievers,  even 


The  Training  of  Children.  307 

such  as  were  wholly  una  wakened;  and  this  has  been 
attended  with  fatal  consequences.  Few  have  gained 
the  unbelieving  wife  or  husband;  generally  they  have 
themselves  either  had  a  heavy  cross  for  life  or  en- 
tirely fallen  back  into  the  world.  To  put  a  stop  to 
this,  let  every  preacher  publicly  enforce  the  apostle's 
caution,  'Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  with  unbeliev- 
ers.' Let  it  be  also  openly  declared  in  every  place 
that  he  who  acts  contrary  to  this  will  be  expelled  the 
Society.  When  any  such  is  expelled,  let  an  exhorta- 
tion be  subjoined  dissuading  others  from  following 
that  bad  example."  Had  not  we  better  have  some 
of  these  good  old  rules  reprinted  in  our  Conference 
Minutes? 

4.  An  intelligent  and  conscientious  attachment  on  the 
part  of  parents  themselves  to  Methodism.  Is  not  the 
want  of  this  the  cause  of  many  failing  to  connect  their 
families  permanently  with  our  churches?  It  is  not 
enough  to  be  Christians;  we  must  be  Methodists, 
and  let  our  children  see  that  we  regard  the  system 
so  called  and  distinguished  as  the  highest  form  of 
Christian  and  Church  life.  Seeing  the  value  of  Meth- 
odism, not  simply  in  our  declared  opinions,  but  in  its 
lovely  effects  upon  our  lives  and  conversation,  they 
will  learn  to  regard  it  not  as  a  human  institution, 
to  which  our  partialities  or  our  prejudices  have  at- 
tached us,  but  as  a  divinely  appointed  system  of  re- 
ligion and  happiness. 

That  they  may  profit  by  the  exercise  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry  «mong  us,  we  must  ourselves  respect 
the  minister's  holy  vocation,  and  be  painstaking  to 
make  them  understand  it  and  respect  it  too.  If 
they  but  lightly  esteem  the  messengers  of  God's  mer 


308  The  Methodist  Armor. 

cy,  they  will  be  in  danger  also  of  rejecting  the  mes- 
sage itself.  Let  parents  be  careful  not  to  offend 
against  the  ministers  of  the  word,  against  the  com- 
mands of  God,  against  their  own  souls,  and  against 
the  highest  interests  of  their  families,  by  uncharita- 
ble or  unguarded  remarks  about  the  men  who  hold 
the  most  sacred  and  important  office  ever  intrusted 
to  human  beings. 

Methodist  parents  ought  to  make  known  to  their 
children  the  distinctive  principles  of  the  several  de- 
nominations, that  an  intelligent  choice  may  be  made. 
But  we  need  not  attach  so  much  importance  to  those 
little  barriers  which  divide  the  various  branches  of 
the  great  Methodist  family,  and  which  we  rejoice  to 
see  are  becoming  beautifully  less,  as  to  the  broad 
and  general  features  of  Methodism,  and  the  advan- 
tages which  we  are  proud  enough  to  think  we  have 
over  all  other  Christian  denominations.  *  Let  us  often 
address  to  our  children  the  words  of  the  prophet: 
"Mark  well,  and  behold  with  thine  eyes,  and  hear 
with  thine  ears,  all  that  I  say  unto  thee  concerning 
all  the  ordinances  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  all 
the  laws  thereof."  (Ezek.  xliv.  5.)  Parents  who  train 
their  children  on  the  principle  that  they  may  go  to 
any  Church  where  they  can  feel  most  comfortable, 
need  not  wonder  when  it  seems  to  be  most  comforta- 
ble for  them  to  go  nowhere.  If  Methodism  is  the 
best  for  us,  is  it  not  likely  to  be  the  best  for  our 
children? 

To  say  nothing  of  the  unseemliness  of  families  be- 
ing divided  in  their  Church  connections,  is  it  not 
most  ungrateful  to  be  careless  whether  or  not  our 
sons  and  daughters  be  permanently  attached  to  Meth- 


The  Training  of  Children.  300 

odism  ?  Under  its  influence,  with  God's  blessing,  we 
have  obtained  our  spiritual  illumination,  our  Chris- 
tian peace,  our  gracious  transformation,  and  the  im- 
mortal hope  of  a  heavenly  inheritance — indeed,  all 
that  we  hold  dear.  When  we  look  at  lower  things, 
under  its  shadow  many  have  acquired  manifold  tem- 
poral advantages.  In  all  respects  it  claims  their  at- 
tachment as  an  availing  form  of  godliness,  which  has 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is  and  of  that  which 
is  to  come.  To  be  indifferent  to  its  preservation  and 
continued  efficiency  in  the  world,  or  its  influence  in 
and  upon  the  future  character,  relations,  and  circum- 
stances of  our  children,  would  be  the  utmost  incon- 
sistency and  the  deepest  ingratitude. 

Then,  how  to  transmit  inward  religion— true  Meth- 
odism— to  "the  generation  to  come"  is  the  great 
problem  we  have  to  solve;  how  to  find,  as  Dr.  Osborn 
a  few  years  ago  so  admirably  put  it,  "  the  connecting 
link  between  the  baptismal  font  and  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble." For  this  we  are  persuaded  we  shall  have  to 
look  more  to  the  family  than  we  have  done.  We 
must  teach  our  people  how  to  realize  God's  saving 
grace  in  domestic  worship  and  Christian  nurture; 
and  not  only  in  the  Sunday-school  and  the  sanctuary, 
but  parents  and  teachers,  ministers  and  leaders,  will 
have  to  combine,  that  the  great  end  may  be  gained. 
As  the  late  Rev.  S.  Jackson  said,  "We  must  be  at 
the  children,  or  the  millennium  is  a  long  way  off." 
Those  who  rock  the  cradle  have  the  Church's,  as  well 
as  the  nation's,  destiny  in  their  hands.  Daniel  Web- 
si'  t  said  to  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  great  statesman  of 
America  who  wrote  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
"  What  is  to  be  thv  salvation  of  our  nation?"     After 


310  The  Methodist  Armor. 

h  few  moments'  thought,-  Jefferson  replied:  "  This  na- 
tion will  be  saved,  if  saved  at  all,  by  teaching  the 
children  to  love  the  Saviour."  Methodist  churches 
cannot  always  live  solely  by  conquest,  by  conversions 
from  without,  by  a  ki*id  of  gospel  campaigning. 
While  they  continue  to  make  sallies  and  excursions 
into  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  they  will  have  to  learn 
how  to  grow,  and  populate,  and  become  powerful 
from  within.  "As  arrows  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty 
man,  so  are  children  of  youth."  To  neglect  them  is 
to  commit  a  great  military  blunder.  It  is  to  leave 
our  arrows  to  rust  and  become  blunt  and  totally  unfit 
for  use,  when  they  ought  to  be  collected,  polished, 
and  sharpened  for  the  day  of  battle.  God  says  to 
his  faithful  people,  "  Thou  shalt  see  thy  children's 
children  and  peace  upon  Israel."  The  results  of  a 
system  which,  by  God's  blessing,  transmits  our  prin- 
ciples and  practices  from  generation  to  generation 
will  be  general  peace  and  prosperity  to  the  end  of 
time.  It  is  recorded  that  Cyrus,  when  besieging 
Babylon,  perceived  the  importance  of  the  river  on 
the  banks  of  which  the  city  stood,  as  being  at  once 
the  cause  of  its  security,  by  shutting  out  its  enemies, 
and  the  source  of  its  internal  prosperity.  He  there- 
fore devised  the  plan  of  cutting  channels  for  the 
purpose  of  turning  the  stream  of  the  river  out  of  its 
natural  and  proper  course.  By  this  means  he  ob- 
tained an  easy  entrance  for  his  troops,  and  doomed 
the  city  to  slow  but  certain  decay.  That  illustrates 
the  stratagems  of  the  devil  to  prevent  the  universal 
triumphs  of  Christianity.  It  is  high  time  to  inter- 
rupt his  proceedings  and  frustrate  his  plans  by  re- 
pairing and  keeping  up  the  banks  of  the  river  from 


A  Model  Christian  and  a  Loyal  Methodist.       311 

which  our  great  stores  of  supply  come,  and  that  our 
youth  may  glide  onward  to  the  city  of  God,  at  once 
its  defense  and  glory,  and  the  source  of  its  increase 
and  perpetuity.  

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

A  MODEL  CHKISTIAN  AND  A  LOYAL  METHODIST. 

To  be  a  model  Christian  and  a  loyal  Methodist  is  the 
high  standard  set  before  every  member  of  our  Church. 
Such  a  standard  is  possible  to  all.  A  Methodist  and 
a  good  Christian  should  mean  one  and  the  same  thing. 
A  good  Methodist  is  one  who  has  been  soundly  con- 
verted, one  who  has  "the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in 
his  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  him,"  one 
who  "loves  the  Lord  his  God  with  all  his  heart,  and 
with  all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his  mind,  and  with  all 
his  strength,  and  his  neighbor  as  himself."  To  be 
deeply  pious,  holy,  consecrated,  is  the  duty  and  the 
privilege  of  all  our  members.  We  say  that  the  high- 
est standard  of  Christian  purity,  of  moral  power,  and 
dignity  lies  within  the  reach  of  the  lowest  and  poor- 
est. The  highest  type  of  manhood  is  a  full-hearted 
Christian.  The  great  mass  of  mankind  cannot  wear 
the  golden  crown  of  wealth,  nor  the  laurels  of  high 
worldly  honors,  nor  carry  diplomas  of  a  finished  ed- 
ucation; but  they  can  wear  the  crown  of  Christian 
love,  they  can  have  the  wealth  of  spirituality,  they 
can  rise  to  dignity  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  There 
is  nobody  so  ignorant,  or  poor,  or  obscure,  that  can- 
not love  his  God  supremely  and  serve  his  fellow-men. 
It  does  not  require  genius,  nor  education,  nor  wealth, 
nor  high  position.  Spiritual  goodness  is  within  the 
reach  of  all  classes  and  conditions  of  men.     To  get 


312  The  Methodist  Armor. 

good  and  do  good  are  the  privilege  and  duty  of  all. 
Such  religion  is  the  royalty  of  mankind,  the  crown, 
the  beauty,  and  glory  of  human  life.  "  The  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentle- 
ness, goodness,  temperance."  Such  is  the  blessed 
fruit  which  the  tree  of  the  gospel  bears. 

Be  useful;  and  in  order  to  be  useful,  be  really  and 
truly  good.  A  beautiful  disposition  will  make  your 
manners  lovely  and  attractive.  A  heart  sweetened 
with  Christian  love  will  diffuse  its  fragrancy  all 
around,  like  a  garden  full  of  sweet-smelling  flowers. 
Keep  the  oil  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  your  heart,  then 
your  life  will  be  "a  burning  and  a  shining  light."  A 
profession  of  religion  without  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a 
lantern  without  a  candle.  A  Church  full  of  members 
without  the  fire  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
nothing  more  than  a  box  of  unlit  candles,  having  the 
latent  capacity  but  not  the  power  of  warming  and  il- 
luminating those  around  them. 

The  man  who  walks  close  with  God,  as  Enoch,  who 
obeys  his  laws,  who  opens  his  heart  to  divine  in- 
fluences as  the  flower  to  the  sun,  who  lives  in  com- 
munion with  Christ,  will  be  ready  to  every  good 
work,  and  cooperate  with  all  laboring  to  spread  the 

gospel. 

Christian  Activity. 

Be  a  model  in  Christian  work.  This  is  a  world  of 
work.  God,  Christ,  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  all  active 
workers.  The  angels  work.  "They  are  ministering 
spirits  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be 
heirs  of  salvation."  The  natural  world  works.  The 
trees  pump  up  the  sap,  bloom,  and  bear  fruit.  The 
rivers  speed  on  in   their   courses,   watering  fruitful 


A  Model  Christian  and  a  Loyal  Methodist.       313 

fields,  turning  mill-wheels,  and  floating  ships.  The 
winds  are  the  great  water-carriers  of  earth.  The  stars 
move  on  in  their  orbits.  The  moon  catches  the  radi- 
ance of  the  set  sun,  and  throws  it  back  upon  the  dark 
hills  of  night.  The  sun  is  a  grand  worker.  He  il- 
luminates, warms,  and  fructifies  the  world.  And  the 
command  of  the  great  Teacher  rings  over  the  earth, 
"Go,  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard!"  We  must  work 
for  others,  if  we  would  save  ourselves. 

Little  Talents  to  be  Woeked 

Do  not  evade  this  duty,  this  blessedness,  by  argu- 
ing with  yourself  that  you  have  no  talent  for  any  im- 
portant usefulness.  The  ambition  to  do  only  signal 
things  may  be  the  veriest  pride  of  the  depraved  heart. 
If  you  have  only  small  talents — even  the  one  talent  of 
the  parable — use  it  with  your  might;  remember  it  is 
all  your  divine  Master  will  hold  you  accountable  for; 
but  remember  also  that  it  was  the  man  who,  in  the 
parable,  neglected  his  one  talent  that  was  lost  in  the 
day  of  reckoning.  That  one  talent  of  yours,  if  used 
aright,  may  place  you  as  high  in  heaven  as  any  mon- 
arch who  may  go  thither  from  any  earthly  throne. 

Man  of  God,  if  thou  hast  but  one  talent,  where  is  it? 
Is  it  hid  away  in  a  napkin?  Is  it  buried?  Remem- 
ber that  the  final  judgment  will  ferret  it  out.  Canst 
thou  not  speak  for  thy  Master?  Canst  thou  not  go 
from  house  to  house  among  thy  neighbors,  in  his 
name,  teach  his  little  ones  in  a  Sunday-school,  testify 
for  him  in  a  prayer-meeting,  give  a  pittance  of  thy 
earnings  for  him?  Eemember  him,  in  the  parable, 
who  buried  his  talent,  and  beware  of  his  fate. 

"Why  stand  ye   here   all    the  day   idle?"     Begin 


314  The  Methodist  Armor. 

something  good,  though  it  be  small.  The  mightiest 
oak  in  the  forest  grew  from  a  small  acorn.  Two 
grains  of  wheat  would  suffice,  with  proper  care  and 
labor,  to  cover,  in  time,  all  the  grain-bearing  soil  of 
this  planet,  and  transferred  to  other  orbs,  could  cover 
in  like  manner  all  the  worlds  of  the  heavens.  "  De- 
spise not  the  day  of  small  things.  Thou  art  but  a 
small  soul  if  thou  doest  so." 

Personal  Effort. 

Whenever  a  man,  an  individual  Christian,  finds  that 
he  has  both  time  and  capacity,  it  is  his  duty  to  follow 
the  Master  in  seeking  and  saving  his  fellow-men;  and 
let  me  say  to  you  that  the  beginning  of  revivals  of  re- 
ligion is  like  the  beginning  of  a  fire,  in  which  you  take 
a  single  coal,  it  may  be,  %nd  lay  a  little  fuel  on  it,  and 
blow  it  a  moment;  at  first  it  blazes  a  little  bit,  and 
then  blazes  a  little  bit  more,  every  additional  stick 
you  put  on  making  it  more  certain  that  the  next  one 
will  catch.  Do  not  wait  until  the  whole  Church  is 
waked  up  before  you  move.  If  you  can  find  any 
member  of  it  that  is  in  sympathy  with  you,  put  your 
heart  and  his  together,  and  they  will  make  a  sympa- 
thetic influence  which  may  bring  another  in.  Draw 
in  individuals.  Look  around  for  them;  do  not  look 
around  for  the  Church;  the  Church  will  take  care  of 
itself,  and  you  should  take  care  of  yourself.  Collect 
two,  three,  four  people;  and  the  moment  you  thus 
form  a  center  of  feeling,  it  begins  to  whirl  and  sweep 
in  others.  It  is  not  difficult  for  three  or  four  persons 
in  a  community  to  form  a  center  that  will  begin  to 
draw  in  those  that  are  around  about  them.  Next,  let 
me  say  that  I  think  there  is  nothing  in  this  world  that 


A  Model  Christian  and  a  Loyal  Methodist.      315 

is  so  sure  to  be  successful  as  personal  adhesion  to  your 
fellow-men.  Preaching,  at  best,  is  like  artillery  firing; 
but  when  you  come  into  close  personal  relations  with 
men  and  talk  to  them,  not  once  or  twice,  not  when 
you  happen  to  meet  them,  but  often,  seeking  suitable 
times  and  opportunities,  and  press  upon  them  the 
duty  of  entering  absolutely  upon  a  Christian  life,  and 
follow  it  up  gently  and  quietly,  I  believe  that  even 
the  most  difficult  cases  will  eventually  be  won  over  to 
the  higher  life.  I  think  there  is  no  influence  so  pow- 
erful in  bringing  men  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
•from  death  to  life,  as  that  of  man  upon  man,  heart 
upon  heart. 

If  every  one  of  those  in  the  Church  who  are  able, 
in  the  providence  of  God,  to  do  this  kind  of  work 
would  bring  a  single  peison  into  the  Christian  life, 
there  would  be  hundreds  brought  in.  There  are  many 
in  the  community  who  are  so  thoroughly  interested 
in  religion  that  all  they  need  to  induce  them  to  en- 
ter the  Christian  life  is  the  opportunity.  It  would 
require  but  very  little  to  carry  them  over  distinctly 
to  a  knowledge  of  Christ.  They  know  what  the  dis- 
positions of  Christ  are,  they  know  what  the  walk  and 
conversation  of  a  Christian  ought  to  be;  and  all  they 
need  is  to  be  led  to  say,  "  By  the  help  of  God,  I  will 
enter  upon  a  spiritual  course."  Nobody  does  more 
than  that  in  the  beginning.  All  the  rest  of  one's  life 
is  the  filling  up,  of  which  this  is  the  commencement. 
So  it  is  in  the  power  of  men  to  carry  their  fellow-men 
over  from  animalism  to  spirituality,  and  those  that 
are  strong  can  take  those  that  are  weak,  and,  by  the 
impulse  of  their  souls,  lift  them  above  matter  and  the 
flesh.     On  the  other  hand,  it  is  oftentimes  the  caso 


3  [Q  The  Methodist  Armor. 

that  men  who  are  feeble  are  a  very  great  help  to  those 
who  are  strong.  William  Wirt  owed  his  conversion 
to  a  negro  nurse.  This  old  servant  prayed  for  him, 
and  he  knew  it.  In  his  pride  he  resisted  the  influ- 
ence that  he  was  conscious  was  acting  upon  him; 
but  by  and  by  the  power  of  God  through  her  prayer 
was  too  strong  for  him  to  withstand,  and  he  humbled 
himself,  and  went  and  asked  her  what  he  should  do 
to  be  saved.  He  would  not  go  to  the  minister,  but 
he  would  go  to  the  poor  old  negro  nurse  for  advice. 
When  a  ship  is  a  little  too  heavily  freighted,  they 
sometimes  put  under  her  empty  casks,  that  buoy  her 
up  and  carry  her  over  sand-bars;  and  sometimes  God 
blesses  empty  men  to  the  buoying  up  of  other  men 
who  are  too  heavily  freighted  with  worldly  elements, 
and  to  carrying  them  over  the  sand-bar  of  Christian 
experience.  There  is  use  for  slenderly  endowed  men. 
Great  strength,  great  wisdom,  and  great  experience 
all  have  their  place;  and  so  small  endowments  have 
their  place.     Every  man  can  do  something. 

Work  To-day. 
"  Go,  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard."  The  Christian 
worker  should  not  wait  to  be  appointed  to  some  spe- 
cial office,  and  do  nothing  and  feel  no  duty  unless  ap- 
pointed to  some  official  position.  Plan  your  own  work 
and  do  it.  The  doing  good  is  a  question  of  TO-DAY. 
"  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time."  "  Whatever  thy 
hand  findeth.  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might."  Improve 
present  opportunities.  The  Christian  Union  says:  "A 
tired  mother  who  had  been  occupied  all  day  with  an 
active  and  very  troublesome  boy,  as  she  sat  down  in 
the  evening  and  thought  of  the  numberless  details 
into  which  her  strength  had  gone,  said:  'After  all,  it 


A  Model  Christian  and  a  Loyal  Methodist.      317 

is  a  day  toward  the  making  of  a  man.'  There  was  a 
world  of  truth  in  this  brief  and  pointed  summing  up 
of  a  day's  work.  Nothing  is  so  hard  to  overcome  as 
the  illusion  of  time  and  distance.  Thousands  of  lives 
are  wasted  because  they  are  never  freed  from  it,  and 
thousands  of  other  and  faithful  lives  are  saddened 
because  they  too  are  under  its  spell.  The  woman  un- 
der the  pressure  of  daily  and  nightly  cares  who  feels  no 
inspiration  from  them,  but  continually  dreams  of  great- 
er services  and  nobler  occupations  in  some  other  place 
and  at  some  other  time,  is  surely  missing  the  secret  of 
the  deepest  living,  and  is  thirsting  with  the  water  of  life 
flowing  freshly  about  her.  The  man  who  chafes  un- 
der his  present  burden,  and  scorns  his  place  and  work 
as  small  and  mean  compared  with  the  thing  he  would 
do,  is  every  day  widening  the  breach  between  his  ideal 
and  his  possible  achievements.  Every  great  work  grows 
out  of  endless  and  toilsome  details.  The  historian  is 
years  in  the  dim  seclusion  of  libraries  before  he  gives 
the  world  a  new  chapter  in  its  life;  the  great  orator 
works  far  into  sleepless  nights  before  he  stands  on 
the  platform,  with  his  fingers  on  the  keys  of  human 
passion  and  sentiment;  the  writer  denies  himself  even 
rational  pleasures  through  laborious  years,  that  he 
may  enrich  his  thought  by  contact  with  the  world's 
thought  and  put  the  eloquence  of  simplicity  into  his 
style.  Grappling  with  small  difficulties  is  the  only 
training  which  fits  one  for  dealing  with  great  prob- 
lems; faithful  performance  of  small  duties  the  only 
preparation  for  grand  services;  patience,  fidelity,  and 
steadfastness  to-day  the  only  seed  that  will  make  to- 
morrow golden  with  harvests  of  fame  or  usefulness. 
The  boy  who  to-day  is  doing  his  '  chores '  well  and 


318  The  Methodist  Armor. 

cheerfully  is  in  training  for  the  cares  of  empire;  the 
mother  who  is  to-day  giving  strength,  time,  and  wealth 
of  affection  to  her  children,  in  the  seclusion  of  her 
home,  is  making  the  whole  world  richer  by  her  ob- 
scure ministry — is  very  possibly  shaping  the  charac- 
ters that  are  to  shape  the  destiny  of  the  age,  and  is 
surely  building  in  the  only  material  which  defies  de- 
cay, survives  death,  and  declares  its  architecture  in 
the  fadeless  light  of  eternity.  After  all  has  been  said 
about  the  work  of  the  artist,  the  poet,  and  the  think- 
er, it  is  the  mother  who  stands  nearest  God  in  crea- 
tive power." 

Eesults. 

"  Work,  O  man,  while  the  day  lasteth!  The  ancient 
painter  said  that  he  painted  for  eternity.  The  hum- 
blest worker  in  this  world  is  working  for  eternity, 
whether  he  thinketh  of  it  or  not.  There  is  something 
grand  in  the  heroism  of  the  great  worker.  No  mind 
but  that  of  God  can  tell  the  full  result  of  his  agency 
in  the  universe.  It  may  go  on  in  its  unforeseen  con- 
sequences forever  and  forever.  Good  men,  martyred 
ages  ago  for  their  good  works  on  the  earth,  are  still 
extant,  leading  on  the  human  race.  Omnia  vincit  la- 
bor— 'Labor  overcomes  all  things.'  St.  Paul  was  nev- 
er more  alive  and  powerful  on  the  earth  than  he  is  at 
this  hour.  Galileo,  Newton,  Bacon,  are  still  living  an 
ever-widening  life.  Luther,  Calvin,  and  Wesley  have 
only  begun  their  lives.  Death  has  not  power  over 
them:  they  still  live  and  labor  in  the  spirit  among 
mon,  are  still  exerting  influence  upon  the  interests 
of  the  world.  But  these  are  great  examples;  let  them 
not  discourage  humble  workers.  Do  what  thy  hand 
findeth  to  do,  and  thou  shalt  do  well,  and  the  divine 


Loyalty  to  Your  Oun  Church.  319 

Master  will  see  that  thy  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain. 
If  you  turn  one  soul  to  righteousness  you  shall  achieve 
a  greater  deed  than  the  creation  of  a  world — than  the 
creation  of  a  material  universe.  You,  the  anxious 
mother,  training  your  little  household  flock,  may  be 
preparing  a  choir  for  heaven;  you,  the  plodding,  ill- 
paid  school-teacher,  may  be  preparing  constellations 
for  the  eternal  skies;  you,  the  village  pastor,  may  be 
leading  up  a  circle  to  encompass  the  throne  of  God; 
you,  the  sufferer,  apparently  laid  aside  from  all  ac- 
tivity to  languish  on  a  sick-bed,  even  you  may  be 
ministering  by  patient  endurance  the  highest  lessons 
to  all  around  you;  and  you  who  know  not  what  to  do, 
who  sometimes  think  that  God  has  not  found  you  to 
be  worthy  or  fitted  for  any  good  activity,  even  you  may 
bear  in  mind  Milton's  wise  saying,  '  They  also  serve 
who  only  stand  and  wait.'  The  humblest  lot  in  life 
may  thus  be  consecrated.  Every  life  should  have  an 
aim,  and  it  should  be  as  high  as  heaven." — Christian 
Labor,  by  Dr.  Abel  Stevens. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

LOYALTY  TO  YOUR  OWN  CHUKCH. 
The  fact  that  you  are  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church  implies  that  you  prefer  her  doctrines,  govern- 
ment, and  usages  to  those  of  any  other  Church.  In  the 
bosom  of  this  Church  you  get  your  spiritual  food,  and 
within  her  borders  lies  the  field  of  your  usefulness; 
she  is  your  spiritual  mother,  and  claims  you  as  a  loyal 
and  dutiful  son.  By  voluntary  vows  you  have  obli- 
gated yourself  to  be  faithful  to  all  her  interests.     In 


320  The  Methodist  Armor. 

her  communion  your  family  and  kindred  live;  in 
lier  communion  perhaps  a  mother  or  father  died,  and 
passed  away  to  the  better  world.  Your  Church  has 
a  splendid  history  in  the  past,  a  present  influential 
prominence  among  other  gospel  Churches,  and  gold- 
en prospects  for  future  usefulness.  Let  the  follow- 
ing beautiful  lines  express  your  love  and  devotion: 

Beyond  my  highest  joys 

I  prize  her  heavenly  ways ; 
Her  sweet  communion,  solemn  vows, 

Her  hymns  of  love  and  praise. 
For  her  my  tears  shall  fall, 

For  her  my  prayers  ascend, 
To  her  my  cares  and  toils  be  given, 

Till  toils  and  cares  shall  end. 

This  membership  entitles  you  to  the  sacred  ordi- 
nances of  Christ's  Church,  to  the  spiritual  benefits  of 
pastoral  care,  and  all  the  means  of  grace  to  fit  and  pre- 
pare you  for  heaven.  You  see,  then,  that  it  is  an  ex- 
alted privilege  to  be  associated  with  the  people  of 
God.  You  are  hereby  introduced  into  the  royal  fami- 
ly of  God — a  family  composed  of  patriarchs  and  proph- 
ets, "all  of  whom  resemble  the  children  of  a  king." 
Being  a  member  of  this  royal  family,  it  is  expected 
that  you  walk  and  be  worthy  of  this  high  vocation,  that 
you  seek  in  all  laudable  ways  to  promote  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  Church,  cheerfully  sharing  her  burdens,  and 
cooperating  harmoniously  with  all  her  movements. 

If  a  Church  has  the  right  to  live  at  all,  it  has  the 
right  of  living  on  the  highest  plane  of  prosperit}r. 
The  faith  that  carries  us  into  a  Church  ought  to  lead 
us  to  consecrate  ourselves  to'  promote  its  welfare. 
The  highest  stamp  of  Christianity,  therefore,  is  alto- 


Loyalty  to  Your  Own  Church.  321 

getlier  consistent  with  the  warmest  denominational 
zeal  and  activity.  If  "  Methodism  is  Christianity  in 
earnest,"  then  to  be  devoted  to  Methodism  is  to  be 
consecrated  to  Christianity.  Supreme  loyalty  to  one's 
Charch  does  not  imply,  by  any  means,  sectarian  nar- 
rowness. A  decided  preference  for  your  own  homo 
is  rot  to  be  construed  into  any  dislike  toward  your 
neigh}, it's  home.  The  consecration  of  a  man  to  his 
store,  LVrm,  trade,  or  profession  is  not  to  be  taken  as 
any  heoiility  toward  anybody  else's  business.  The 
fact  is,  ihe  hope  of  evangelizing  the  world  lies  in  the 
Method  iyt  being  devoted  to  his  Church,  the  Baptist 
to  his  Church,  the  Presbyterian  to  his  Church,  and 
so  with  o  hers.  Good-will  toward  all  others,  but  su- 
preme loj  alty  to  your  own  Church,  is  the  true  prin- 
ciple. A  fault  of  too  many  Methodists  is  that  false 
kind  of  liberalism  which  patronizes  the  interests  of 
others,  to  the  neglect  and  pecuniary  damage  of  its 
own.     Let  us  now  proceed  to  show: 

1.  Loyal  y  to  the  Methodist  Church  requires  her 
members  t »  send  their  children  to  her  schools.  Mr. 
Wesley  en  phasized  "  the  duty  of  the  Church  to 
maintain  schools  which  are  Christian  in  their  charac- 
ter and  influence."  This  implies  the  duty  of  the 
Church  to  project,  organize,  and  establish  academies, 
colleges,  and  universities.  But  if  it  is  the  duty  of 
the  Methodis;  Church  to  establish  such  schools  at  the 
expense  of  hc^vy  outlays  of  money  and  men  as  teach- 
ers, then  a  corresponding  duty  rests  upon  Methodist 
people  to  patronize  these  schools.  This  is  perfectly 
clear.  The  obligation  is  mutual;  because  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  schools  is  a  complete  failure  without 
the  pah'onage  of  the  people.  And  when  Methodists 
21 


322  The  Methodist  Annor. 

turn  aside  from  tlie  educational  institutions  of  their 
own  Church,  and  send  their  children  to  the  schools 
of  other  Churches,  they  plainly  betray  disloyalty  to 
tlie  Church  of  their  own  adoption. 

2.  Loyalty  requires  you  to  worship  in  the  Method- 
ist Church  in  preference  to  others.  There  may  be 
another  Church  nearer  than  yours,  more  attractive — 
with  better  singing  and  preaching — yet  loyalty  re- 
quires you  to  attend  the  services  of  your  own  Church. 
You  have  joined  this  Church,  taken  the  vow  to  attend 
her  ordinances — her  doctrines,  songs,  prayers,  all  are 
best  calculated  to  edify,  to  bless,  and  to  nourish  the 
spiritual  life  of  your  soul.  Your  seat  should  always  be 
filled  in  your  own  church.  Your  duty  requires  it,  and 
your  pastor  expects  it.  It  is  all  right  and  proper  to 
attend  services  in  other  churches  when  your  own  is 
closed.  But  to  divide  up  your  attendance,  running  to 
this  or  that  church  while  yours  is  open,  breaks  the 
force  of  your  denominational  loyalty,  mars  the  beauty 
of  your  example,-  diminishes  the  influence  of  your  own 
Church  in  that  community.  What  would  you  think  of 
a  man  who  neglects  his  own  family  and  runs  around 
to  attend  to  the  business  .of  other  people?  The  sol- 
dier that  is  worth  any  thing  stands  at  his  own  post  of 
duty,  marches  under  his  own  flag,  and  fights  in  his 
Ovvn  company;  but  the  soldier  who  deserts  his  com- 
pany, and  spends  his  time  running  around  hither  and 
thither,  is  a  dead  failure.     The  application  is  easy. 

3.  Loyalty  requires  you  to  send  your  children  to  the 
Sunday-school  of  your  own  Church.  It  is  a  lamenta- 
ble fact  that  many  Methodists  are  sending  their  chil- 
dren to  Sunday-schools  of  other  Churches;  that  too 
while  schools  are  open   in   their  own    Church..     The 


Loyalty  to  Your  Own  Church.  323 

result  is  that  Methodism  loses  many  of  her  children. 
Owing  to  this  neglect,  many  children  have  left  the 
Methodist  persuasion— the  sons  of  Methodist  parents 
are  seen  in  other  pulpits,  their  daughters  forming 
centers  of  influence  in  other  Churches.  And  so  thou- 
sands of  our  children  slip  out  of  our  hands  into  other 
communions.  But  if  all  Methodist  parents  would 
send  their  children  to  our  schools,  where  they  could 
be  properly  taught  the  soundness  of  our  doctrines, 
the  wisdom  of  our  discipline,  and  utility  of  our  gov- 
ernment, their  attachment  to  Methodism  would  re- 
main strong  and  unbroken.  The  children  of  our 
members  belong  to  us  as  rightfully  as  the  lambs  of 
a  flock  to  the  shepherd  who  owns  and  feeds  the  flock. 
Take  the  children  away  from  any  Church  and  its  hope 
of  future  prosperity  is  gone.  That  orchard,  however 
fruitful  it  may  be  now,  is  doomed  to  utter  extinction 
whose  soions  are  plucked  and  planted  in  another. 
That  farm  is  doomed  to  barrenness  whose  seed-corn 
is  borne  away.  And  what  seed-corn  is  to  the  harvest 
of  the  field,  children  are  to  the  future  prosperity  of 
your  Church.  To  send  your  children,  then,  to  other 
Sunday-schools  is  to  sap  the  very  foundation  of  your 
Church. 

4.  A  loyal  Methodist  will  patronize  Methodist  lit- 
erature. Every  member  of  the  Church  should  avail 
himself  of  whatever  makes  him  wise  and  useful. 
Every  good  Methodist  ought  to  have  the  Discipline  of 
his  Church.  It  contains  not  only  a  brief  statement 
of  the  doctrine,  but  the  General  Rules,  the  Ritual, 
the  temporal  economy,  and  much  other  matter  neces- 
sary for  Methodists  to  know.  A  knowledge  of  the 
Discipline  is  indispensable  to  a  member  of  the  Meth- 


324  The  Methodist  Armor. 

odist  Church.  The  Methodist  Hymn-book  is  also  a 
necessity.  A  Bible,  a  Discipline,  and  a  Hymn-book 
are  to  be  possessed  and  well  used  by  every  Method- 
ist. And  hundreds  of  other  valuable  books,  such  as 
Clarke's  Commentary,  Watson's  Theological  Insti- 
tutes, Wesley's  Sermons,  Fletcher's  Checks,  etc., 
should  be  found  in  the  libraries  of  Methodists. 
Nothing  costing  no  more  is  so  valuable  as  good 
books.  Franklin  says:  "When  a  boy  I  read  a  little 
book  entitled  'Essays  to  Do  Good,'  by  Cotton  Mather. 
It  was  tattered  and  torn,  and  several  leaves  were 
missing,  but  the  remainder  gave  me  such  a  turn  of 
thinking  as  to  have  an  influence  on  my  conduct 
through  life;  and  if  I  have  been  a  useful  citizen,  the 
public  owes  all  the  advantage  to  that  little  book." 
Books  suggest  ideas  and  produce  thoughts,  and  living 
thoughts  revolutionize  nations.  Buy  good  books  and 
read  them.  One  half  hour  devoted  each  day  to  read- 
ing will  conduct  you  through  the  Bible — the  largest 
and  best  book — in  less  than  a  year;  it  will  acquaint 
you  with  one  good  work  on  theology,  one  on  philoso- 
phy, one  on  geology,  and  others  on  history,  biogra- 
phy, and  travels,  besides  much  miscellaneous  reading, 
in  the  same  brief  period;  if  continued  from  year  to 
year,  it  will  secure  to  you  all  the  requisite  qualifica- 
tions for  all  the  ordinary  requirements  of  business, 
religious,  and  social  life. 

Every  Methodist  should  take  a  religious  journal 
representing  the  views  of  his  Church.  It  is  the  poor 
man's  library,  the  rich  man's  monitor,  the  honest 
counselor  of  the  young,  the  companion  of  the  aged, 
the  consoler  of  the  troubled,  the  comforter  of  the  sor- 
rowing, the  recorder  of  blessed  spiritual  births,  and 


Loyalty  to  Your  Own  Church.  325 

still  more  blessed  spiritual  deaths.  It  is  the  defender 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  Church,  and  of  the  Holy  Bible 
as  God's  word,  the  preacher  of  glad  tidings,  and  the 
encyclopedia  of  vital  and  saving  truth. 

The  Gloey  of  Methodism 

METHODISM  AS  SEEN  BY  OTHERS. 
(From  the  Christian  Union,  1873.) 

When  that  eccentric  Pennsylvania-Dutch  Method- 
ist preacher,  Jacob  Gruber,  was  once  badgering  a 
Catholic  priest,  the  latter  twitted  him  with  the  youth- 
fulness  of  Methodism.  "Your  Church,"  he  said,  "  is 
not  yet  a  hundred  years  old,  while  ours,  according  to 
Protestant  count,  is  at  least  fifteen  hundred  years  old." 
"  Fifteen  hundred  years  old! "  exclaimed  the  other,  in 
broken  English.  "  Why,  that 's  the  reason  she 's  so 
blind!"  The  retort  was  worth  as  much  perhaps  as 
the  argument,  but  we  have  revived  the  story  to  say 
that  Methodism  can  no  longer  be  accused  of  lacking 
the  age  of  a  century.  The  Methodist  Church  has  now 
three  times  kept  a  hundredth  anniversary.  In  1839 
there  was  the  famous  centenary  in  England  and  Amer- 
ica of  Wesley's  first  Conference;  in  1866,  the  hundreth 
year  after  the  founding  of  Methodism  in  New  York 
was  made  the  occasion  of  liberal  contributions  to 
Church  objects;  and  now  we  have  just  had  in  Phila- 
delphia the  celebration  of  the  hundreth  anniversary 
of  the  meeting  of  the  first  Conference  in  this  coun- 
try—  the  starting-point  of  organized  Methodism  in 
America. 

Considering  what  Methodism  has  come  to  be  in 
one  century  of  growth,  we  are  not  surprised  that  the 
denomination  should  indulge  in  self-gratulation .     A 


320  The  Methodist  Armor. 

hundred  years  is  a  short  period  in  the  life  of  a  great 
religious  movement.  A  centennial  is  like  the  first  re- 
turn of  a  baby's  birthday — it  is  the  beginning  of  reck- 
onings. And  when  the  youngest  of  religious  denom- 
inations finds  that  in  its  first  hundred  years  it  has 
outstripped  all  its  fellows  with  the  odds  against  it,  a  lit- 
tle bit  of  rejoicing,  and  even  of  exultation,  is  natural 
enough.  It  will  be  strange  indeed  if  Methodists  do  not 
yet  find  another  hundreth  anniversary  to  celebrate. 

Numerical  increase  is  by  no  means  the  only  crite- 
rion by  which  the  success  of  a  religious  movement  is 
to  be  judged,  nor  is  it  the  chief;  but  it  is  one  element 
of  success,  and  in  the  order  of  time  it  is  the  first  ele- 
ment. In  religious  work,  as  in  every  thing  else,  the 
hare  must  be  caught  before  it  can  possibly  be  cooked. 
And  in  this  light  we  may  see  what  an  opportunity  the 
Methodist  Church  has  made  for  its  second  century. 
With  more  communicants  than  any  other  religious 
body  in  America,  the  influence  which  it  may  exert 
upon  the  religious  life  and  intellectual  progress  of 
the  nation  is  simply  incalculable. 

But  the  true  glory  of  the  first  century  of  Method- 
ism in  America  lies  not  in  the  three  million  of  ad- 
herents attracted  to  its  standard  so  much  as  in  what  it 
has  done  for  them.  Early  Methodism,  with  its  zealous 
preachers,  its  vehement  oratory,  its  pathetic  melodies, 
its  unconventional  services,  its  democratic  social  meet- 
ings, boldly  laid  hold  upon  the  working  masses  of  the 
country.  It  hesitated  not  to  go  to  those  who  were  at 
the  bottom  of  society  as  regards  wealth,  culture,  and 
morals.  It  is  the  glory  of  Methodism  that  her  early 
converts  were  largely  from  the  poor  and  the  illiterate, 
and  not  rarely  from  the  wicked.     Out  of  this  mate- 


Loyalty  to  Your  Own  Church.  327 

rial  the  earnest  type  of  Christianity  propagated  by 
Methodism  has  made  intelligent  Christian  citizens. 
Let  the  magnificent  educational  enterprises  of  the  de- 
nomination and  the  general  culture  of  its  members 
bear  witness  to  the  zeal  and  success  with  which  Meth- 
odism has  lifted  up  the  crude  masses  of  people  con- 
verted by  the  preaching  of  her  tireless  evangelists. 
It  is  the  bad  taste  of  some  Methodist  people  to  try  to 
hide  the  illiteracy  and  poverty  of  the  first  generation 
of  those  reached  by  Methodist  preaching.  But  the 
Church  has  no  such  laurels  on  her  head  as  the  glory 
of  having  labored  for  the  lowly  in  the  first  instance, 
and  the  glory  of  having  elevated  them  by  her  labors. 
The  secrets  of  the  success  of  early  Methodist  preach- 
ing are  open  secrets,  albeit  there  is  little  likelihood 
that  any  other  body  will  practice  the  arts  by  which 
this  denomination  won  its  commanding  position.  A 
ministry  that  was  sent  and  not  called,  that  had  no 
abiding-place,  that  literally  left  houses  and  homes 
and  lands,  that  in  most  cases  sacrificed  even  the 
ties  of  family,  was  a  ministry  to  conquer  the  world 
with.  Ambitions  they  could  hardly  have;  there  was 
nothing  to  choose.  In  every  age  of  the  world  the  suc- 
cessful propagandists  have  been  noted  for  singleness 
of  purpose,  and  entire  singleness  of  purpose  was  the 
prominent  characteristic  of  the  itinerants  whom  As- 
bury  annually  redistributed  throughout  the  country. 
The  oratory  of  such  men  could  not  but  have  the  high- 
est elements  of  effectiveness — intense  earnestness  and 
perfect  sincerity.  Their  disinterested  lives  commend- 
ed them  to  every  man's  conscience,  their  isolation  and 
separation  from  local  entanglements  gave  them  au- 
thority.    Their  chivalrous  devotion  to  their  work  wan 


328  The  Methodist  Armor. 

contagious.  They  were  the  knights-errant  or!  our 
modern  days,  seeking,  like  those  who  sat  by  Arthur's 
table  round,  to  bring  in  the  "rude  beginnings  of  a 
better  time."  Doing  battle  against  every  sort  of  mor- 
al wrong,  living  in  poverty  and  celibacy,  and  carry- 
ing with  them  everywhere  a  noble  religious  psalmody, 
they  were  the  knights-errant,  the  mendicant  friars, 
and  the  minne-singers  of  Protestantism. 

It  is  vain  to  regret  that  the  Methodism  of  to-day 
is  different.  It  could  not  but  be  different.  A  mature 
man  cannot  have  the  elasticity  of  youth.  The  Meth- 
odist Church  of  to-day  has  set  before  her  a  task  very 
different  from  that  which  was  laid  upon  that  little 
Conference  in  Philadelphia  in  1773.  They  had  only 
to  throw  themselves  upon  the  enemy  at  every  point. 
There  were  no  complications.  They  had  no  baggage- 
train  to  protect,  no  communications  to  keep  open. 
The  Methodist  Church  is  now  in  possession.  She 
must  guard  as  well  as  attack,  develop  as  well  as  plant. 
To  every  religious  movement  there  comes  the  blade, 
the  stalk,  the  ear.  The  development  of  each  period 
is  different  from  that  of  all  others.  It  is  not  for  the 
Methodist  Church  of  the  future  to  attempt  to  do 
over  again  the  work  of  the  past,  but  to  build  wisely 
upon  the  foundations  already  laid. 

Such  a  past  ought  to  be  an  inspiration.  To  have 
furnished  the  world  the  most  fearless,  self-denying, 
and  devoted  ministry  of  modern  times,  to  have  pro- 
d  need  the  most  compact  organization  of  Protestantism, 
to  have  developed  the  finest  congregational  singing  in 
the  world,  to  have  won  the  poor,  the  unlearned,  and 
the  wicked  to  the  gospel,  to  have  set  the  noblest  exam- 
ple of  fervor  and  freedom  in  worship  and  of  zeal  and 


Loyalty  to  Your  Own  Church.  329 

self-denial  in  life,  and  to  have  grown  to  be  the  largest 
of  American  Protestant  bodies,  is  enough  to  make  one 
century  glorious.  But  if  the  higher  and  more  diffi- 
cult work  set  before  the  Methodist  Church  of  our  day- 
shall  be  performed  in  the  same  spirit,  and  with  like 
success,  the  second  century  of  Methodism  in  America 
may  outshine  the  first. 


APPENDIX. 

World-wide  View  of  Methodism 


METHODISM  IN   THE   UNITED  STATES. 

( Methodist  Year-book.) 

STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

(NORTH). 

July  1,  1882. 

1882.  1881.  Increase. 

Number  of  Annual  Conferences 99                 96  3 

Number  of  missions  (not  included  in  Conf's).                13                 16  d.3 

Number  of  bishops 11                  12  ri.l 

Number  of  itinerant  preachers 12,552            12,142  410 

Numberof  local  preachers 12,106           12,323  d.217 

Total  number  of  preachers 24,658            24,465  193 

Lay  members  on  probation 172,468          164,538  7,930 

Lay  members  in  full  connection 1,551,952       1,553,029  d.1,077 

Total  lay  members 1,724,420        1,717,567  6,853 

Total  ministers  and  members 1,736,983       1,729,722  7,261 

Numberof  churches 17,935           17,056  279 

Number  of  parsonages 6,150             5,877  273 

Value  of  churches $66,405,568    163,700,774    82,704,794 

Value  of  parsonages $  9,021,034    $  8,710,297    $  310,737 

Total  value  of  churches  and  parsonages $75,426,602    $72,411,071    $3,015,531 

Number  of  Sunday-schools 20,894           21,100  d.206 

Number  of  S.S.  officers  and  teachers 222,863          219,262  3,601 

Number  of  Sunday-school  scholars 1,608,836        1,592,062  16,774 

Number  of  officers,  teachers,  and  scholars...      1,831,699       1,811,324  20,375 

Deaths  of  ministers  during  the  year 174                147  27 

Deaths  of  lay  members  during  the  year 22,970           21,671  1,299 

Total  deaths  during  the  year 23,144           21,818  1,326 

Number  of  presiding  elders 446               445  1 

Number  of  mission  superintendents 13                 16  d.3 

Numberof  pastoral  charges  left  to  be  suppl'd.  1,692       

Numberof  local  preachers  stat'n'd  as  pastors  1,593       

Average  number  of  deaths  per  week 445 

Average  number  of  deaths  per  day 63 

Average  weekly  net  increase  of  ministers 8 

Number  of  adult  baptisms  during  the  year  ending  July  1, 1881 51,067 

Number  of  infant  baptisms  during  the  year 55,70? 

Total  number  of  baptisms 106,77c 

i'330) 


World-wide  View  of  Methodism.  331 

Average  number  of  baptisms  per  week 2,053 

Average  number  of  new  Sunday-schools  organized  per  week 4 

Average  number  of  new  churches  dedicated  each  week 5 

Average  number  of  new  parsonages  per  week 5 

ANNUAL  CONFERENCE  COLLECTIONS. 
Foe  Year  Ending  July  1,  1882. 

Collected.  Inciease. 

For  Conference  claimants $161,280  816,202  47 

For  Parent  Missionary  Society 594,452  72,658  30 

For  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society 99,012  13,921  87 

For  Board  of  Church  Extension 101,266  13,273  35 

For  Tract  Society 14,763  1,604  24 

For  Sunday-school  Union 16,272  d.2,673  33 

For  Freedmen's  Aid  Society 49,051  4,126  39 

For  Educational  Fund '. 40,254  d.4,843  31 

For  American  Bible  Society 27,507  506  93 


Total $1,103,857         $214,777  91 

The  above  sums  embrace  only  the  Connectional  col- 
lections reported  at  the  Annual  Conference  sessions, 
and  not  the  totals  contributed  by  the  whole  Church  for  the 
several  causes  during  the  year.  Four  of  the  societies 
named  above  (Parent  Missionary  Society,  "Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society,  Board  of  Church  Exten- 
sion, and  Board  of  Education)  report  for  the  year 
ending  in  1881,  receipts,  additional  to  the  above,  amount- 
ing to  $201,493.41.  Adding  this  to  the  total  sum  re- 
ported to  the  Conference  sessions  gives  a  grand  total 
of  $1,305,350.41. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUKCH,  SOUTH. 

{General  Minutes,  1SS3.) 

SUMMARY  OF  STATISTICS. 


Traveling  preachers 

Superannuated  preachers 

Local  preachers 

W.iitc  members 

Colored  members 

Indian  members 

Total  preachers  and  members 
Infants  baptized 


188.). 

1882. 

Increase 

3,863 

3,730 

127 

313 

309 

4 

3,736 

5,869 

23 

888,094 

861.244 

2C,.S.J'J 

1,265 

1,030 

225 

4,783 

5,111 

28 

904,248 

877,290 

U6,049 

20,232 

27.205 

2.0J1 

332  The  Methodist  Armor. 

1883.  1882.  Increase. 

Adults  baptized 43,994  38,832  5,161 

Simday-sehools 9,875  9,649  226 

Sunday-school  teachers 65,574  65,198  376 

Sunday-school  scholars 509,934  483,426  26,508 

Collections  for  Conference  claimants $  87,146  07  9  81,432  82  $  5,713  25 

Collections  for  Missions 227,640  38  207,759  06  19,88132 

CONNECTIONAL  OFFICEES  OP  THE  METHODIST 
EPISCOPAL  CHUECH,  SOUTH. 

BISHOPS. 
H.  H.  Kavanaugh,  residence,  Louisville,  Ky. 
George  F.  Pierce,  residence,  Sparta,  Ga. 
H.  N.  McTyeire,  residence,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
John  C.  Keener,  residence,  New  Orleans,  La. 
A.  W.  Wilson,  residence,  Baltimore,  Md. 
Linus  Parker,  residence,  New  Orleans,  La. 
J.  C.  Granbery,  residence,  Kichmond,  Va. 
E.  K.  Hargrove,  residence,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Missionary  Secretary,  E.  A.  Young,  D.D.,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Treasurer  of  Board  of  Missions,  D.  C.  Kelley,  D.D.,  Nashville, 

Tenn. 
Book  Agent,  J.  B.  McFerrin,  D.D.,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Editor  of  Sunday-school  Publications,  W.  G.  E.  Cunnyngham, 

D.D. ;  Assistant,  J.  A.  Lyons,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Editor  of  Nashville  Christian  Advocate,  O.  P.  Fitzgerald,  D.D., 

Nashville,  Tenn. 
Book  Editor,  W.  P.  Harrison,  D.D.,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
Secretary  of  Church  Extension,  D.  Morton,  D.D.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

AMEEICAN  BEANCHES  OF  METHODISM. 
While  the  growth  of  Methodism  has  been  rapid  and 
constant,  yet  there  has  been  internal  dissatisfaction 
enough  to  produce  several  secessions  and  separations. 
The  first  secession  took  place  in  1792.  The  leader  was 
James  O'Kelly;  the  Church  was  called  the  "Repub- 
lican Methodist  Church,"  afterward  called  the  "  Chris- 
tian Church."  The  cause  of  the  secession  was  dissat- 
isfaction with  the  appointments  of  the  Bishop.     It 


World-wide  View  of  Methodism.  333 

reduced  the  ministry  to  an  equality  of  authority,  and 
elected  all  of  its  officers  by  the  popular  vote.  It  was 
largely  a  failure. 

African  M.  E.  Bethel  Chukch. — It  began  in  1792, 
but  was  not  fully  organized  till  1816.  The  cause  of 
its  organization  was  to  get  rid  of  a  mixed  congrega- 
tion in  public  worship.  It  is  Methodist  Episcopal  in 
every  thing,  except  it  rejects  the  office  of  presiding 
elder.  It  reports  9  bishops,  and  321,004  members. 
They  have  a  publishing  house  in  Philadelphia,  pub- 
lish a  weekly  paper,  and  support  a  college  in  Ohio. 

United  Brethken  Church. — It  was  founded  by  P. 
W.  Otterbein,  a  useful  preacher,  at  Baltimore.  The 
first  Conference,  composed  of  13  ministers  and  lay- 
men, was  held  in  1800.  In  1882  it  had  5  bishops,  47 
Annual  Conferences,  2,196  ministers,  159,547  lay  mem- 
bers, and  150,141  Sunday-school  scholars. 

The  Evangelical  Association.  —  Organized  by 
Eev.  Jacob  Albright  in  1800,  in  Eastern  Pennsyl- 
vania. This  Church  reports  21  Annual  Conferences, 
893  itinerant  ministers,  585  local  preachers,  112,197 
lay  members. 

Union  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— Founded 
in  Wilmington,  Delaware,  in  1813.  It  was  composed 
of  colored  members  who  seceded  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Its  present  strength  is  5  Confer- 
ences, 121  preachers,  and  about  2,600  lay  members. 

African  M.  E.  Zion  Church. — Organized  in  New 
York  in  1819,  by  colored  members  who  withdrew  from 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  It  reports  7  bish- 
ops, 1,500  itinerant  preachers,  2,600  local  preachers, 
and  about  300,000  lay  members. 

Methodist  Protestant  Church.  —  Organized  in 


331  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Baltimore,  1830.  Its  doctrines  and  usages  same  as 
Episcopal  Methodists,  the  difference  being  in  Church 
government.  They  reject  presiding  elders  and  bish- 
ops. Each  Annual  Conference  elects  its  president  for 
the  year,  who,  together  with  a  chosen  committee,  makes 
the  appointments  of  the  preachers.  It  reports  1,314 
traveling  ministers,  925  local  preachers,  121,716  lay 
members. 

Eree  Methodists. — Chiefly  in  Western  New  York, 
Illinois,  and  Michigan.  They  report  about  90  preach- 
ers and  14,000  members. 

Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — Organ- 
ized since  the  late  war,  under  the  direction  of  the  M. 
E.  Church,  South.     It  reports  125,000  members. 

American  "Wesleyans. — Organized  in  the  State  of 
New  York  in  1842.  They  took  high  ground  against 
slavery.  They  discard  all  bishops  and  presiding 
elders,  supplying  their  places  by  presidents  of  Con- 
ferences, stationary  committees,  and  chairmen  of  dis- 
tricts. Doctrinally  they  are  Methodistic.  Number 
about  26,000. 

Congregational  Methodists. — They  are  Method- 
ist in  doctrine  and  usage,  but  are  Congregational  in 
Church  government;  number  only  about  20,000  mem- 
bers. 

Independent  Methodists.  —  Organized  1819  by  a 
Mr.  Stilwell,  who  became  dissatisfied  with  the  Church 
order  and  appointments.    It  reports  2,574  members. 

DENOMINATIONAL  STATISTICS  OF  UNITED  STATES. 

Total  Methodists  in  United  States 4,020,672 

Methodist  population  in  United  States . . .  -. 18,345,000 

Methodist  members  in  the  world , 5,178,528 

Methodist  population  in  the  world   25,345,545 


World-wide  View  of  Methodism.  335 

Regular  Baptists 2,102,085 

Free-will  Baptists 75,685 

Anti-Mission  Baptists 40,000 

Six  Principles  Baptists 2,000 

The  German  Baptists 100,000 

The  Seventh-day  Baptists 7,446 

Total  Baptists  in  United  States _,  2,394,742 

Baptists  in  the  world 2,914,214 

Presbyterian  Church 600,605 

Southern  Presbyterians 127,017 

United  Presbyterians 84,573 

Cumberland  Presbyterians 111,855 

Reformed  Synod  Presbyterians 10,093 

General  Synod  Presbyterians 5,750 

Associated  Reformed  Presbyterians 6,740 

Total  Presbyterians  in  United  States 916,489 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church 344,888 

Reformed  Episcopal  Church 10,000 

Dutch  Reformed  Church 80,156 

German  Reformed  Church 147,788 

Church  of  the  United  Brethren 155,437 

Shakers 6,000 

Unitarians 30,905 

Universalists  . .    37,965 

Christian  Connection 57,000 

Church  of  God 30,000 

Congregationalists 387,619 

Campbellites 563,928 

Evangelical  Association 107,732 

Evangelical  Synod  of  the  West 40,000 

Friends,  or  Quakers 70,000 

Lutherans 800,189 

Menonites   50,000 

Moravians 16,223 

Swedenborgians 19,000 

Roman  Catholic  population 6,143,000 

Total  Mormon  population 110,377 

Total  population  of  the  Jews 500,000 


336 


The  Methodist  Armor. 


THE  PKESENT  STATUS  OF  ENGLISH  METHODISM. 

The  original  tree  of  Methodism,  the  seed  of  which 
was  planted  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  1739,  has  grown  up  to 
be  a  wide-spreading  and  life-giving  and  fruitful  tiee 
of  living  Christianity.  This  original  Church  is  called 
the  "Wesleyan  Methodist  Church." 

Statistics  of  Wesleyan  Methodism. 


(Methodist  Year-book,  1880.) 


Dis- 
tricts . 

Great  Britain 34 

France 1 

Germany 1 

Italy 2 

Spain  and  Portugal 1 

1 

1 

1 


Malta 

South  Ceylon 

North  Ceylon 

Madras  District,  India 1 

Mysore  District 1 

Calcutta  District 1 

Lucknow  and  Benares  District 1 

Canton  District,  China 1 

Wuchang  District,  China 1 

South  Africa 7 

Western  Africa 3 

West  Indies 7 


Cir- 

cuits. 

721 

7 

25 

38 

5 

1 

44 

27 

31 

16 

6 

5 

4 

3 

111 

53 

72 


Min- 
isters. 


40 

27 
22 
15 
8 
C 
10 
.8 

114 
45 

108 


Lay         Proba- 
Members.     tioners. 

370,678     25,824 

1311 

2,117 

1,374 

336 

100 

2,154 

857 

682 

560 

143 

64 

179 

174 

18,288 

13,647 

46,082  J 


Minister; 
and 

Members. 

404,416 


10,636         97,908 


Total 05     1,169       2,393     463,466     36,460       502,319 

Sunday-schools  in  Great  Britain 6,376 

Sunday-school  teachers  and  officers 119,911 

Sunday-school  scholars 787,143 

Volumes  in  libraries 744,293 

Expenses  of  Sunday-schools f  332,870 

Wesleyan  day-schools 851 

Scholars  in  day-schools 179,900 

Expenses  of  Wesleyan  day-schools $1,088,645 


World-wide  View  of  Method  ism.  337 

The  British  Conference  collections  in  1879  for  Con- 
uoctional  Funds  reached  the  following  totals: 

For  Foreign  Missions %    675,701 

For  Home  Missions  and  Contingent  Fund 172,724 

For  Theological  Institutions 49,921 

For  School  Fund 45  946 

For  General  Education 42,292 

For  Children's  Fund 132,500 

For  Worn-out  Ministers'  Fund 116,194 

For  General  Chapel  Fund 49,007 

Total  in  1879  for  Connectional  Fund $1,284,285 

Raised  in  1879  to  relieve  Church  debts §    213,275 

Paid  in  1879  for  new  church-edifices §1,916,220 

The  above  is  exclusive  of  the  sum  raised  directly 
for  pastors'  salaries  and  for  Thanksgiving  Fund. 

Thanksgiving  Fund. — This  great  special  Connection- 
al offering  was  planned  in  1878,  and  duly  reported  to 
the  Conference  in  1879.  At  first  it  was  proposed  to 
raise  the  sum  of  $1,000,000.  This  was  soon  raised  to 
81,200,000;  later,  to  $1,500,000;  and  still  later,  fixed 
by  the  Conference  at  $1,575,000!  On  November  17, 
1880,  the  subscriptions  to  the  Fund  had  already 
reached  the  magnificent  sum  of  $1,465,096! 

m 

THE  ENGLISH  BRANCHES— OFFSHOOTS  FROM  THE 
PARENT  METHODIST  STOCK. 

Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist.— This  branch  first 
originated  in  Wales,  about  the  time  the  Wesleys  be- 
gan to  attract  attention  in  England.  Among  all  the 
secessions  in  the  history  of  Methodism,  this  is  tho 
only  one  that  ever  occurred  on  doctrinal  grounds.  Their 
Church  government  is  Wesleyan.  They  number  about 
119,809  members. 

22 


'338  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Methodist  New  Connection. — Organized  in  1797. 
The  cause  of  its  organization  was  to  give  more  free 
dom  to  ministers  in  administering  the  sacraments.  A 
few  brethren  had  previously  been  selected  by  Mr. 
Wesley,  who  were  authorized  to  administer  the  sacra- 
ments. The  same  right  was  claimed  by  others,  and 
Alexander  Kilhoni  became  the  leader  of  a  party  which 
culminated  in  a  new  organization.  They  retain  all  the 
doctrines  and  usages  of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  and  its 
general  polity.  They  have  not  grown  very  much,  hav- 
ing only  about  30^853  members. 

The  Pkimitive  Methodist  Church. — This  was  or- 
ganized in  1810.  The  immediate  cause  of  its  organ- 
ization was  the  expulsion  of  some  preachers  for  in- 
subordination in  their  mode  of  conducting  meetings 
While  very  earnest  Christians,  they  refused  to  submit 
to  the  prescribed  order  of  the  Wesleyan  Church. 
They  preserve  all  the  outlines  of  Methodist  doctrine, 
and,  like  the  early  M ethoclists,  they  labor  successfully 
among  the  poorer  classes.  Present  membership  is 
182,691,  and  over  300,000  Sunday-school  scholars. 

The  Bible  Christians. — Organized  in  1815,  under 
the  leadership  of  William  O'Brien.  Having  been 
rebuked  for  various  extravagances  in  his  methods  of 
holding  religious  meetings,  he  withdrew  and  organized 
a  new  Church.     Its  membership  is  53,450. 

Wesleyan  Protestant  Methodists. — This  body 
separated  from  the  British  Conference  in  1827,  pro- 
testing against  organs  in  churches,  and  what  they 
called  too  much  ministerial  power.  Their  success  is 
small. 

The  United  Methodist  Churches  of  England.— 
Organized  in  1857.     Present  membership  is  79,477. 


World-wide  View  of  Methodism.  339 

A  GENERAL  VIEW  OF  METHODISM  IN  OTHER  LANDS. 

Methodism  in  Austkalasia. — The  first  Methodist 
mission  was  opened  in  Australasia  in  1815.  A  Gen- 
eral Conference  was  organized  in  1875.  Methodism 
has  in  that  country  now  423  traveling  ministers,  3,763 
local  preachers,  65,905  lay  members,  an  adherent  pop- 
ulation of  331,882  persons.  Sunday-school  scholars, 
134,183. 

Methodism  in  France* — Societies  first  formed  in 
•1790.  A  French  Conference  organized  in  1852.  The 
working  force  'of  Methodism  in  that  country  now  is 
29  traveling  ministers,  92  local  preachers,  16  evangel- 
ists, Sunday-school  scholars  2,552,  adherents  10,622. 

Methodism  in  Sweden.— The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  began  its  work  in  that  country  in  1854.  It 
has  there  61  native  traveling  preachers,  75  local 
preachers,  7,824  lay  members,  6,436  Sunday-school 
scholars. 

Methodism  in  Norway.— The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  began  to  organize  in  this  country  in  1876.  It 
reports  now  27  circuits,  32  preachers,  2,997  lay  mem- 
bers, 2,285  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Methodism  in  Germany. — The  first  Methodist  so- 
ciety organized  in  1830.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  commenced  its  work  there  in  1849.  That 
Church  reports  as  having  in  that  country  69  traveling 
ministers,  59  local  preachers,  11,812  lay  members, 
18,716  Sunday-school  scholars.  The  English  Wesley- 
ans  have  in  Germany  25  pastoral  charges,  and  2,117 
lay  members. 

Methodism  in  Denmark. — The  first  mission  estab- 
lished in  1858.  There  are  now  in  that  country  4  min- 
isters, 712  lay  members,  696  Sundiy-school  scholars. 


310  The  Methodist  Armor. 

Methodism  in  Italy. — Methodism  first  introduced 
in  1852.  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  began  there  in 
1872;  the  Wesleyans  in  1879.  There  were  in  Italy  in 
1879  48  Methodist  preachers,  2,932  lay  members,  44 
churches,  two  of  which  are  in  Home,  and  three  in 
Naples. 

Methodism  in  India.  —  The  British  Wesleyans 
opened  a  mission  in  Ceylon  in  1813,  and  in  India 
proper  in  1817.  Wesleyan  statistics  are,  112  preach- 
ers, 10,636  lay  members.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  planted  missions  in  India  1856.  That  Church 
has  now  2  Annual  Conferences,  6  districts,  46  preach- 
ers, 4,687  lay  members,  38  churches,  7,097  Sunday- 
school  scholars. 

Methodism  in  Japan. — The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  organized  a  mission  in  Japan  in  1873.  Sta- 
tistics: 8  missionaries,  5  assistant  missionaries,  40 
native  helpers,  5  lady  missionaries,  with  5  native 
assistants,  620  lay  members,  773  Sunday-school  schol- 
ars. The  Methodist  Church  in  Canada  has  also  a 
prosperous  mission  in  Japan. 

Methodism  in  China.— The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  began  missionary  work  in  China  in  1847.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  opened  missions 
here  in  1848,  the  British  Wesleyans  in  1852,  the  Meth- 
odist New  Connection  in  1872.-  Statistics:  In  1879 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  reported  3  missions 
(viz.,  Foochow,  Central  China,  and  North  China),  with 
25  American  missionaries  and  12  assistants,  86  native 
preachers,  12  Bible-women,  2,370  lay  memters  and 
probationers,  266  baptized  children,  25  day-schools 
with  370  pupils,  53  Sunday-schools  with  907  pupils, 
59  chapels  and  18  parsonages  valued  at  $54,901.     In 


World-wide  View  of  Methodism.  341 

1880  the  British  Wesleyan  Church*  reported  2  districts 
(Canton  and  Wuchang)  and  6  circuits  with  19  preach- 
ers and  353  full  members.  'The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  reports  24  preachers,  126  members, 
383  Sunday-school  scholars,  and  33  teachers. 

Methodism  in  Africa. — The  British  Wesley ans  seat 
their  first  missionaries  to  Sierra  Leone  in  1811,  and  to 
South  Africa  in  1814.  In  1880  the  Minutes  of  that 
Church  reported  a  total  of  7  districts,  111  circuits,  114 
preachers,  and  31,935  full  members.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  organized  its  work  in  Liberia  in 
1833.  The  Liberia  Conference  returns  of  1879  show 
4  districts,  18  preachers,  47  local  preachers,  2,110  lay 
members,  29  churches  and  3  parsonages  valued  at 
$22,925,  30  Sunday-schools  with  221  teachers  and  1,560 
scholars.  The  United  Methodist  Free  Churches  have 
also  a  flourishing  mission  work  in  Africa,  but  the  re- 
cent statistics  are  not  in  hand. 

Methodism  in  Mexico. — Under  the  appointment  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  Bev.  Dr.  William 
Butler  organized  the  mission  work  in  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico in  the  spring  of  1873.  In  the  same  year  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  South,  entered  the  same  field, 
the  early  work  being  supervised  by  Bishop  Keener. 
In  1879  the  Methodist  Episcopal  statistical  summaries 
were  as  follows:  6  missionaries,  6  assistant  missiona- 
ries, 4  missionaries  of  Women's  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  assisted  by  4  Bible-women,  12  missionary 
teachers,  13  Mexican  preachers,  544  lay  members,  70 
pupils  of  orphan  school,  24  day-school  teachers,  with 
473  scholars,  33  Sunday-school  teachers  with  479 
scholars,  7  theological  students,  5  churches  owned  by 
the  mission,  14  other  preaching-halls,  5  parsonages. 


342  The  Met  hod  id  Armor. 

value  of  Church-property  $94,400,  collections  during 
the  year  $4,253.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South,  reports  65  preachers,  1,419  members,  830  Sun- 
day-school scholars. 

Methodism  in  South  America. — The  first  Method- 
ist Church  was  planted  in  Buenos  Ayres,  in  1835,  by 
Rev.  F.  E.  Pitts.  There  are  now  three  principal  mis- 
sions, viz. :  at  Buenos  Ayres,  Montevideo,  and  Rosario. 
The  latest  summaries  show  3  missionaries  and  3  as- 
sistants, 6  missionaries  sent  by  the  Women's  Foreign 
Missionary  Society.  There  were  also  3  native  preach- 
ers and  6  local  preachers,  693  lay  members,  3  churches 
and  1  parsonage  valued  at  $61,000,  12  Sunday-schools 
with  58  officers  and  teachers  and  770  scholars.     In 

1879  the  Rev.  William  Taylor  visited  the  western  coast 
of  South  America,  and  opened  schools  and  missions 
in  several  of  the  principal  towns  in  Peru  and  Chili, 
and  a  year  later  repeated  this  work  in  Brazil.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  has  8  preachers, 
113  members,  120  Sunday-school  scholars,  20  teachers. 

Methodism  in  Canada. — In  1828  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Canada  organized  in  a  separate 
jurisdiction  from  the  Church  in  the  United  States. 
The  Canada  Wesleyan  Conference  in  1833  changed  its 
polity  and  became  affiliated  with  the  British  Wesleyan 
Conference.  In  1874,  by  a  union  of  the  Wesleyan  and 
New  Connection  Conferences  with  the  Wesleyan  Con- 
ference of  Eastern  British  America,  the  Methodist 
Church  of  Canada  was  organized.     The  statistics  of 

1880  show  6  Annual  Conferences  with  a  total  of  1,182 
traveling  ministers,  861  circuits,  122,627  lay  members, 
;1,486  pi'eaching-places. 


UCSB    LIBRARY 


III.-.- 

000  553  469 


msmm 
wMmyd 


mjmm }$>$■> 


',■>■■■',  y-  ■>■'■'■ 


mm® 


